Australia’s Round of 32 opponent has been locked in with the Socceroos to face a date with one of the world’s great strikers, Egyptian legend Mo Salah, in Dallas after 30 minutes of madness on Saturday.

The hearts of the nation were torn in four directions as the beautiful chaos of the world’s greatest sporting event, and Australia’s fate, played out in front of their eyes, Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand all battling for their World Cup survival.

But after go-ahead goals, peg-back goals and a literal toe-length VAR review, Egypt escaped the carnage in second, and as the third Asian team to go undefeated in the group stages, while Belgium secured top spot.

It means the English Premier League and Liverpool champion’s, who earned just under $40 million a season in England, twilight on the international stage will continue; the 34-year-old putting the Socceroos in his crosshairs after Australia confirmed their survival in a draw with Paraguay on Friday.

It’s already been a momentous tournament for Egypt, who secured their maiden victory with a 3-1 win over New Zealand, while Saturday’s dramatic draw with Iran enabled them to progress out of the Group Stage for the first time in their history.

It was very close to the perfect result for Australia, who looked a good chance of copping the world No.10 Belgium in their do-or-die Round of 32 clash.

However, the Socceroos are likely to remain the underdogs, with Egypt ranked two spots higher than Australia at 26 in the world, thanks to their talisman.

Salah’s resume reads as well as anyone at the World Cup, having won two Premier League titles as well as holding the prestigious Champions League trophy aloft in 2019 and the Club World Cup Trophy that same season.

He has won the Premier League’s Golden Boot award, handed to the competition’s top goalscorer, four times and was named the league’s best player on multiple occasions.

Salah has confirmed his time at Liverpool is at an end with a move to come after the Cup, which he will hope can extend into the Round of 16.

But his international career was very nearly ended on Saturday against Iran, with the legend unable to aid his compatriots after being substituted before the drama unfolded.

It all began in Belgium’s clash with New Zealand; Australia’s hopes of a positive favour from their Trans-Tasman rivals were quickly dashed.

While a Kiwi triumph would have seen them play Australia in Dallas on July 4, them completely falling apart was even better, the Belgians surviving New Zealand’s new football hero, Elijah Just, scoring in the 84th minute to drop them back under Egypt after star Kevin De Bruyne had fired them to the top of the group.

Their place was restored by 33-year-old Romelu Lukaku, who scored with his first touch after coming off the bench, heading home Belgium’s fourth goal.

A fifth goal in the late stages confirmed their table-topping status, meaning Egypt needed to cling to the 1-1 scoreline they entered the 90th minute with in Seattle against Iran.

It looked as though they had let it slip, though, Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Ahmed Shobeir, who played a stellar game overall including saving a penalty, making a mess of a flighted pass into the box, coming out and missing as the ball bobbled around for a tap-in.

However, because he had come so high, the Iranian forward needed to be onside of the second-deepest defender, with the check showing he was offside by literally half a foot.

The Egyptians dropped to the floor in ecstasy after surviving two more great efforts from Iran, who will need to wait for the final group games on Sunday to learn their fate.

A likely date with reigning champions and an ever-young Lionel Messi await the winner of Australia and Egypt, the Aussies a chance to avenge their bitter Round of 16 defeat from 2022.