New Zealand head coach Barren Bazeley has attributed his side’s 3-1 defeat to Egypt at the World Cup to a drop in intensity after halftime, saying his players struggled to match the pace set by their opponents in the second half.

Despite a strong opening 45 minutes, New Zealand were unable to maintain their performance as Egypt turned the game around after the break. Goals from Mostafa Ziko, Mohamed Salah and Trezeguet secured victory for the Pharaohs.

Speaking after the match, Bazeley said his team had controlled much of the first half and created several scoring opportunities but failed to sustain that level of play.

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

According to the New Zealand coach, Egypt increased the tempo after the restart, leaving his side unable to replicate the quality and intensity they had shown earlier in the game.

“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,” Bazeley said.

“Ultimately, that hurt us.”

The defeat leaves New Zealand at the bottom of Group G with one point from two matches and facing a must-win final group game against Belgium.

Bazeley, however, remains optimistic about his team’s chances of progressing, insisting they are still within reach of a historic achievement.

“We’re still one game away from making history. We know we have to beat Belgium now,” he added.