**Belgium Dominates Group G with Convincing Victory Over New Zealand; Egypt and Iran Share Points**
In a decisive display, Belgium secured their place in the knockout stage of the World Cup by defeating New Zealand 5-1 in their final group match on Friday. This victory not only confirmed Belgium's top position in Group G but also set the stage for a last-32 clash against one of the eight best third-placed teams in the tournament.
The match began with a tense atmosphere as Belgium sought to assert their dominance. Initially, they faced a setback when a penalty awarded to them was overturned following a VAR check. However, the deadlock was broken in the 28th minute when Kevin De Bruyne's corner kick inadvertently deflected off New Zealand defender Tim Payne, landing perfectly for Leandro Trossard. The 31-year-old forward capitalized on the opportunity, poking the ball into the net from close range.
Trossard continued to shine, scoring his second goal just five minutes into the second half. After receiving a precise pass from De Bruyne, he unleashed a powerful shot that was blocked, but he quickly recovered to find the back of the net on his second attempt. De Bruyne, who had already played a pivotal role in the match, added his name to the scoresheet in the 66th minute, striking the ball from the edge of the box to extend Belgium's lead.
New Zealand managed to find a consolation goal late in the match, with Elijah Just netting in the 78th minute. However, Belgium responded swiftly, with substitutes Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers each scoring to round off the match at 5-1, ensuring Belgium's top spot in the group ahead of Egypt.
In the other match of Group G, Iran faced Egypt in a tightly contested encounter that ended in a 1-1 draw. Egypt, already assured of their place in the knockout stage, took the lead early in the match with a goal from Mahmoud Saber just five minutes in. However, Iran quickly equalized through Ramin Rezaeian, who scored from a tight angle in the 14th minute, marking a frantic start to the game.
Iran's Mehdi Taremi had a chance to put his team ahead when he was awarded a penalty in the first half, but his attempt was saved. As the match progressed, Taremi came close to scoring again, hitting the crossbar with a late header. In a dramatic finish, Shoja Khalilzadeh believed he had scored a last-minute winner for Iran, but the goal was ruled out for offside, leaving the match level.
The draw allowed Egypt to finish second in the group with five points, just behind Belgium on goal difference. Meanwhile, Iran will now await the outcome of other matches to determine their fate in the tournament, as they finished third in Group G.
Belgium's emphatic win and Egypt's solid performance have set the stage for an exciting knockout phase, while Iran's future remains uncertain as they hope for favorable results from other groups to secure their advancement.