Manager Hossam Hassan's tactical second-half realignment guided Egypt to its first-ever World Cup victory, a 3-1 comeback win against New Zealand in Vancouver.
The Group G match at BC Place saw Egypt trailing early after a first-half header from New Zealand defender Finn Surman.
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New Zealand employed a physical, deep-lying defensive structure that limited Egypt's space and threatened through quick counter-attacks.
Egypt struggled to generate forward momentum in the opening half, while New Zealand's high energy frustrated the pro-Egyptian crowd.
Hassan altered his strategy at halftime by shifting superstar forward Mohamed Salah from his traditional right-wing position into a central center-forward role, according to The Athletic.
This adjustment allowed midfielder Emam Ashour to provide crucial defensive coverage, freeing Egypt's fullbacks to advance deeper into the attacking third.
Egypt equalized when fullback Mohamed Hany delivered a precise cross that Mostafa Ziko converted with a header.
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Salah then capitalized on his advanced positioning in the 67th minute, sweeping a shot into the net to give Egypt the lead.
Winger Trezeguet added a second-half goal to seal the victory, sparking celebrations among thousands of Egyptian supporters and media members.
The win marks a milestone for Salah, who had previously failed to secure a World Cup match win despite helping Egypt qualify for two prior tournaments.
According to data from The Athletic's tournament tracker, Egypt now has a 99 percent probability of advancing to the knockout stage.
The metrics also indicate a 61 percent chance for Egypt to finish top of Group G before their final match against Iran.
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A positive result against Iran would send Egypt to a round of 32 fixture in Seattle, potentially setting up a round of 16 clash against the United States.
