Egypt secured second place in Group G after battling to a draw with Iran, booking their place in the Round of 32.

Iran, meanwhile, must wait to discover whether their point is enough to see them progress as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.

Here are our Scout Notes from the game, which features match stats from our World Cup Toolkit page.

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IRAN V EGYPT

• Goals: Saber | Rezaeian
• Assists: Trezeguet | Mohammadi
• Shots on target bonus: Trezeguet
• Top points scorers: Rezaeian (11), Saber (8), Trezeguet (8), Shobeir (7), Ibrahim (7)

TEAM STATS

PLAYER STATS

SCOUT NOTES

• When the line-ups dropped, it was immediately clear Egypt manager Hossam Hassan had freshened up his defence after Round 2. Mohamed Abdelmonem ($4.0m) and Ramy Rabia ($3.6m) replaced Hamdi Fathy ($4.4m) and Yasser Ibrahim ($3.5m) in the starting XI. One of those changes was enforced after Fathy picked up an injury against New Zealand. Speaking before the match, Hassan was asked for an update on the defender and said:

“All the players are ready, but naturally we have injuries. Hamdy Fathy and Hossam Abdelmaguid are still injured, and as you said, we’re following the medical protocol. As for any changes, I have complete confidence in all 26 players in the squad. They’re all capable of stepping in.”

• Outside of the defensive changes, Mahmoud Saber ($4.9m) replaced Marwan Attia ($4.3m) in central midfield. Further forward, Hossam Hassan dropped Omar Marmoush ($7.8m) to the bench and brought in Trezeguet ($5.6m) on the right wing.
• That also changed the shape of Egypt’s attack. Mostafa Zico ($4.2m) moved from the right wing into the forward role, while Emam Ashour ($4.6m) switched flanks. Mohamed Salah ($10.0m) stayed in the number 10 role.
• Asked about potential rotation before the game, Hassan said:

“As for changes, I have complete confidence in all 26 players. I selected 26 starters, they’re all on the same level. Some have more experience than others, but even my youngest player is ready to start or finish a match. So, despite the injuries, everyone in their position is ready.

As for resting players or certain situations, of course I’m thinking about everything. If we reach the second round, we’ll also have to consider the yellow cards so we don’t run into problems there. But our first thought is to confirm qualification for the second round.”

• Iran made just one change to the side that faced Belgium. Milad Mohammadi ($3.8m) came in at left wing-back, replacing Ehsan Hajisafi ($3.7m), while the rest of the front line kept their places.
• Egypt saw more of the ball and registered two more attempts on goal. Iran, however, carried far more threat. They created five big chances to Egypt’s none and generated more than double the xG (expected goals).
• Both goals arrived inside the opening 14 minutes. Egypt struck first through Saber. Salah cut inside onto his left foot and got his shot away. The goalkeeper could only push it into Saber’s path. With defenders crowding the six-yard box and the goal line, Saber reacted quickest and squeezed his finish into the net to make it 1-0.
• Salah couldn’t add another return, but he remained at the heart of Egypt’s attack. He whipped a dangerous cross into Trezeguet, who fired wide. Another pinpoint corner should also have produced an assist, only for two Egypt teammates to get in each other’s way. Egypt’s afternoon then took a turn for the worse. Salah limped off before the hour mark with an injury, while Abdelmonem had already left the pitch after just 14 minutes. After the match, Hossam Hassan provided an update on both players, saying:

“Salah, Fattouh and Abdelmonem will all have medical reports and further examinations when we return to the hotel. But I spoke with Salah, and, God willing, the injury isn’t serious. We have time with the medical staff to get him back, and after speaking with him I was reassured that, God willing, the injury won’t keep him out for long.”

• Overall, Egypt’s attack struggled to make an impact. Hossam Hassan reacted at half-time by replacing Ashour. Substitute Omar Marmoush ($7.8m) couldn’t change the game either, while Mostafa Zico ($4.2m) offered little after moving into a more advanced role.
• Iran arguably deserved more from the match. Mehdi Taremi ($6.1m) won a penalty after his pressure forced Abdelmonem into a clumsy challenge inside the box. Taremi struck the spot-kick well, but Mostafa Shobeir ($3.5m) produced an outstanding low save to preserve Egypt’s lead and finish with seven fantasy points. Outside of creating one big chance, Taremi couldn’t make up for the missed penalty.
• Iran eventually found their equaliser through Ramin Rezaeian ($4.0m), the highest-scoring defender in the game. Mohammad Mohebi ($5.9m) delivered a dangerous cross into the box, where Mohammadi forced a save. The rebound fell perfectly for Rezaeian, who reacted first and powered his finish into the top corner from a tight angle. He almost won it late on, too, but the offside flag denied him.
• Egypt now face Australia in the Round of 32. However, questions remain over their strongest starting XI. Injuries and constant changes at the back have disrupted their rhythm, with five big chances conceded in this match alone. The fitness of Salah is also a major concern. As a result, investing in Egypt assets carries plenty of risk for fantasy managers.
• Iran have lacked consistency throughout the tournament, but they looked dangerous going forward here. Rezaeian impressed once again and, at his price, could become an excellent option if Iran reach the Round of 32. To qualify, Iran need just one of the following to happen: DR Congo fail to beat Uzbekistan, Ghana beat Croatia, or Algeria and Austria avoid a draw.