World Cup 2026: Darren Bazeley left frustrated as New Zealand’s historic hopes hang in the balance

New Zealand head coach Darren Bazeley admitted his frustration after watching his side surrender a first-half lead in a 3-1 defeat to Egypt, but insists the All Whites are still capable of making history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The defeat in Vancouver leaves New Zealand bottom of Group G with one point from two matches, while Egypt moved to the top of the standings after securing their first-ever World Cup victory. Despite the disappointment, Bazeley believes qualification remains within reach if his side can defeat Belgium in their final group match.

New Zealand made an excellent start against the Pharaohs and looked in control for long periods of the first half. Defender Finn Surman gave the All Whites the lead and the Oceania representatives created several opportunities to extend their advantage before the break.

Reflecting on the performance, Bazeley felt his team produced some of their best football of the tournament before Egypt raised their level after halftime.

“It’s disappointing. We were so good in the first half. We dominated possession and created a lot of chances.”

The New Zealand coach admitted that his side struggled to maintain the same intensity after the interval as Egypt took control of the contest. Mohamed Salah inspired the turnaround, scoring one goal and creating another as the North Africans stormed back to claim all three points.

“We came out in the second half and I thought we were okay but we didn’t quite get to the pace of the game. Egypt upped the tempo and we couldn’t replicate what we were doing so well in the first half.”

Egypt equalised through Mostafa Ziko before Salah put them ahead, with Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet adding a third goal to complete the comeback. The result continued a frustrating trend for New Zealand, who have now dropped valuable points from winning positions in consecutive matches after also leading twice against Iran in their opening 2-2 draw.

Bazeley acknowledged that the second-half drop-off ultimately proved decisive.

“Ultimately, that hurt us. We’re still one game away from making history. We know we have to beat Belgium now.”

Despite sitting at the bottom of Group G, New Zealand remain mathematically alive heading into the final round of fixtures. Belgium have drawn both of their matches so far, meaning the All Whites know a victory could still give them a chance of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.

The task will not be easy, but Bazeley’s side have already shown throughout the tournament that they can compete with higher-ranked opposition. Now, everything comes down to one final showdown with Belgium and a chance to write a new chapter in New Zealand football history.