Spain Open World Cup Against Cape Verde on Day 5

Q: Can Mohamed Salah gift Egypt its first-ever World Cup win on his 34th birthday?

Yes — but Egypt will need Salah to overcome both history and a very difficult opener. The opportunity is real because Egypt has never won a World Cup match or advanced from the group stage, and Salah turns 34 on the day of their opening game against Belgium in Seattle. He arrives as Egypt’s central figure, having scored nine goals in qualifying as the team topped its group with eight wins and two draws. He is also closing in on Hossam Hassan’s national scoring record, which underlines how much Egypt’s hopes rest on him. The challenge is that Belgium remain favorites. They are ranked ninth in the world, came through qualifying unbeaten and warmed up with a 5-0 win over Tunisia. Even after the fading of their old “golden generation,” they still have major attacking quality in Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku and are widely viewed as dangerous dark horses. Egypt can still believe. Hossam Hassan has said this squad is built to “set the record straight,” and Salah has clear motivation after his injury-hit 2018 World Cup left him unable to make his full mark on the tournament. Egypt’s path in this expanded 48-team format also means even a draw against Belgium could matter greatly before more winnable matches against New Zealand and Iran. So Salah can deliver that historic first win on his birthday, but the likelier scenario is that Egypt’s best chance to make history may come later in the group rather than against Belgium.

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 15

Day five of the World Cup got underway with Spain facing Cape Verde in the 17:00 BST opener.
Spain entered the match to begin their campaign as European champions, while Cape Verde were making their World Cup debut.
Four matches were scheduled for the day, with Spain seeking an early statement in pursuit of a second World Cup title.
The live coverage wrapped with a recap of other day-five themes, including Sweden's 5-1 win over Tunisia and the use of snickometer technology.