Belgium fight back to earn draw as Egypt's search for a World Cup victory continues

Despite the draining 30-degree heat, both sides began this match on the offensive, although it was not until the seventh minute that any significant chances emerged, with Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne firing just wide from outside the box.

Egypt were compact and efficient in possession, with Omar Marmoush particularly catching the eye, but they were repeatedly thwarted by a well-organised Belgian defence.

That was until Emam Ashour received a simple pass from Mohamed Salah before letting fly from distance in the 20th minute, his right-footed shot leaving Thibaut Courtois grasping at thin air as the ball nestled in the bottom corner.

Belgium stepped up their efforts to get Jeremy Doku involved in the game, but still struggled collectively to find their rhythm, and the Manchester City man's wild attempt in stoppage time rather summed up the Red Devils' opening 45 minutes.

A scramble right at the start of the second half saw Belgium escape further punishment, and they could have drawn level shortly afterwards, when De Bruyne's direct free kick after Doku had been fouled cannoned back off the woodwork.

Courtois was then called upon to parry Salah's free header, before Ashour dragged his follow up well wide.

The undercurrent of Manchester City influence across the pitch only continued, as Marmoush soon caught Belgium on the counter attack, but as he was about to pull the trigger, Nathan Ngoy snuffed out the danger.

That appeared to encourage the Red Devils, and Youri Tielemans' incredible left-footed volley was just a whisker wide.

But when Romelu Lukaku came on in the 66th minute, he made his presence felt within seconds, and in Mohamed Hany's attempts to clear the ball from the striker's path, he only succeeded in putting it into his own net.

Having been handed a lifeline, Belgium began to pour forward at every opportunity, with Mostofa Shobeir brilliantly denying Brandon Mechele with a flying one-handed save late on.

The draw ensures that Belgium have still lost just one of their last 16 group stage matches at the World Cup (W8, D7), and despite Egypt's inability to earn a fifth clean sheet in their last six games, this performance largely bodes well for the African heavyweights.