Group A Guinea 1-2 New Zealand – Scorers: Garbett (25), Diawara (72), Waine (76)
In a thrilling match held in Nice, New Zealand overcame a valiant challenge from Guinea to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory, while the Pharaohs of Egypt were held to a goalless draw.
Guinea’s match saw a dramatic turn of events as Matthew Garbett, who missed a penalty in the 24th minute, quickly redeemed himself by finding the back of the net just a minute later, giving New Zealand the lead.
Guinea showed their determination and persistence and managed to equalize in the 72nd minute through a spectacular long-range strike from Amadou Diawara, with the ball weaving through a crowded penalty area to make it 1-1.
However, New Zealand refused to be denied and staged a spirited comeback, culminating in a 76th-minute goal from Ben Waine, whose decisive strike ultimately secured the victory for the New Zealand team.
Group C Egypt 0-0 Dominican Republic
The match between Egypt and the Dominican Republic ended in a 0-0 draw in Nantes. Both teams had opportunities to score, but the goalkeepers, Xavier Valdez for the Dominican Republic and Hamza Alaa for Egypt were exceptional and kept a clean sheet.
Alaa made a noteworthy save by tipping away a free-kick from Peter Gonzalez in the 70th minute.
Despite Egypt’s efforts to secure a late win, the Dominican Republic’s defence held firm, resulting in a shared point for both teams.
