New Zealand1–5Belgium

Belgium came in with work to do — just 2 points, two behind Egypt who led the group. Winning wasn't enough on its own: they needed Egypt to drop points in Seattle, and they needed goals, because if both teams finished level, goal difference would decide first place. Belgium were starting at zero, Egypt at +2. Leandro Trossard opened the scoring in the 28th, bundling in close range from a corner. Over in Seattle, Egypt and Iran were already 1-1 — meaning every Belgium goal was counting toward the tiebreaker. New Zealand made two changes at halftime but it barely registered — Trossard struck again five minutes into the second half, finishing to the top left after Hans Vanaken played him in. Belgium pushed hard for more: Theate met a De Cuyper cross with a header in the 60th that drifted wide, then had a right-footed shot saved by Crocombe moments later. De Bruyne was twice blocked from outside the box in the 61st and 62nd before he finally curled one through in the 66th. Elijah Just pulled one back in the 84th with a composed left-footed finish off another corner, but Belgium responded immediately: Lukaku, on for just a minute, headed home a Raskin cross in the 86th. Saelemaekers rounded it off in stoppage time on a Lukaku-assisted counter. 5-1 in Vancouver, 1-1 in Seattle — Belgium top Group G on goal difference, +4 to Egypt's +2. The margin they built in that second-half surge was exactly why the game never let up.