Published Jun 12, 8:32pm ET by
Demilade Adelekun - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jun 12, 8:32pm ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Jun 12, 8:32pm ET
Egypt and Iran meet on matchday 3 of Group G at Lumen Field in Seattle, with second place in the group likely still on the line when they kick off.
Mohamed Salah leads Egypt into what could be his final World Cup appearance, needing a result to secure their first ever knockout-stage qualification.
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| Iran | +360 |
| DRAW | +210 |
| Egypt | -125 |
Mohamed Salah turns 34 during this tournament. He scored eight goals in qualifying, more than any other Egypt player in the campaign, and finished the Premier League season with Liverpool before departing after his contract expired. He arrives laser-focused. Omar Marmoush partners him up front from Manchester City, where he scored regularly in his first season in the Premier League. The two together give Egypt the most dangerous attacking partnership in Group G outside of Belgium. Trezeguet and Ibrahim Adel add width and creativity behind them from Al Ahly and Nordsjaelland respectively.
Egypt qualified through CAF without losing a match, conceding zero goals across six games. Their defensive structure is organized, built around Al Ahly players who share the same system week to week. Eight of the 26 players come from that club, giving Hossam Hassan's squad a cohesion that most national teams don't have. If Salah and Marmoush find form in the same game, Egypt advance. It's that straightforward.
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Iran arrive at their fourth consecutive World Cup still searching for their first knockout-stage appearance. Mehdi Taremi leads the attack at 33 from Olympiacos, six foot two, physically dominant, a genuine threat from set pieces and in the air. Sardar Azmoun provides a second option when he is available. Alireza Jahanbakhsh adds creativity from the right. Iran are organized, disciplined, and very hard to break down, and coach Amir Ghalenoei has built a side that rarely loses its defensive shape regardless of the scoreline.
The challenge against Egypt is the same one Iran have faced at every World Cup: producing enough in the final third to win the game that decides their fate. Taremi's mandatory service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps made his US entry a potential complication before the tournament, though he arrived and trained without issue. His fitness and availability are confirmed. Whether he can find the quality needed to beat Egypt's experienced back line over 90 minutes is the real question.
Salah and Marmoush against a disciplined Iranian defence that has never solved the problem of advancing from a World Cup group. Egypt's qualifying record without conceding and their attacking depth through the top two is the edge. Iran needs everything to go right. Egypt just needs Salah to turn up. We're backing Egypt -125.
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Pick
Egypt -125
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