Jon Eimer Backs Over 2.5 Goals in Belgium-Egypt Opener as Belgium Sit at -175

Q: De Bruyne vs. Salah: With Egypt leading, which superstar will ultimately decide this dramatic World Cup opener?

Mohamed Salah is deciding it so far, but Kevin De Bruyne remains the likelier player to determine the final result if Belgium comes back. Egypt’s 1-0 lead came from Salah’s influence. He was directly involved in the move that produced Emam Ashour’s 20th-minute goal, and his movement has already troubled Belgium’s back line enough to draw an early booking for Timothy Castagne. That fits the pre-match expectation that Egypt’s best route was through quick transitions led by Salah against a Belgian defense seen as vulnerable. Still, Belgium entered as a clear favorite, with stronger win projections and broad expert backing. De Bruyne is the central reason for that. He is Belgium’s main creator in Rudi Garcia’s attacking 4-2-3-1, and analysts pointed specifically to his passing as the tool most likely to break down Egypt’s shape. Jon Eimer’s lean to over 2.5 goals also reflected the belief that Belgium would generate chances even if Egypt made the game open. So the answer depends on the ending. If Egypt protects this lead, Salah will be remembered as the decisive superstar because he shaped the only goal and the match’s early momentum. If Belgium overturns it, De Bruyne is the most probable match-winner because nearly every Belgian comeback scenario runs through his delivery, tempo control and chance creation. At this stage, Salah has had the bigger impact; De Bruyne is the one most likely to change the story.

Q: Down a goal to Egypt, is Belgium's famed 'Golden Generation' on the brink of a World Cup disaster?

Not yet, but the alarm is real. Belgium trailing 1-0 after Emam Ashour’s 20th-minute goal is an early shock, especially given they entered as clear favorites and were widely tipped to win by multiple experts. The bigger issue is that this is exactly the kind of scenario that raises old doubts about Belgium’s fading “Golden Generation.” Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois still give Belgium elite quality, but this team is no longer at its 2018 peak. Recent major tournaments have been underwhelming, with a group-stage exit in 2022 and a last-16 loss at Euro 2024, while defensive fragility remains a known weakness. That said, one goal down early in the opener is not the same as a World Cup disaster. Belgium were projected to have the best chance to win this match and are still expected to create chances, particularly through De Bruyne’s passing and Jérémy Doku’s dribbling. Betting expert Jon Eimer even leaned over 2.5 goals because he expected an open game and believed Egypt’s approach could leave space for Belgium’s attack. What would make this dangerous is the context. Egypt are organized, unbeaten in qualifying, and built to protect a lead through compact defending and counterattacks led by Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. If Belgium fail to respond, the pressure on their aging core will intensify quickly. For now, it is a serious warning, not yet a collapse.

3 articles · Updated · SportsLine · Jun 15

Jon Eimer’s featured play for Monday’s Belgium-Egypt World Cup opener is Over 2.5 goals, with the match set for 3 p.m. ET in Seattle.
Belgium are listed at -175 on the 90-minute moneyline, while Egypt are +500 and the draw is +300, reflecting Belgium’s status as clear favorites despite Egypt’s attacking threat.
Eimer said Egypt’s style should create scoring chances but also leave openings for Belgium’s attack, leading him to frame the game as a high-event matchup.
The pick comes with strong recent form behind it: Eimer is 31-13-2 on 2026 Champions League bets and 12-5-2 on World Cup picks, up more than $1,200 and 407.5 units respectively.