In a get-out-of-jail-free card moment, Uruguay have pinched their opening match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. An 89th-minute goal was enough to get the job done over a brave Egypt.
Relive the match as it happened with The Roar’s live blog.
Egypt were never supposed to be competitive in this match, with the two squads vastly differing in experience, skill and potential heading into the contest.
When one of the world’s best players, Liverpool’s gun striker Mo Salah wasn’t picked for the Egyptian starting line-up before kick-off due to a shoulder injury he sustained in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid, things were looking even more dire for the African nation.
They didn’t follow the script most were writing before the game though, with a brave and intense performance seeing them have the better of the first 45 minutes.
In fact, it’s almost arguable they were close to on par with Uruguay for the entire contest. Even though they didn’t control possession, they built nicely and had plenty of chances going forward, but their execution in pivotal moments tended to be lacking somewhat.
Yet, it took Uruguay 89 minutes to score, with the team looking horribly out of form at times. It wasn’t until the final ten minutes, as the Pharoahs finally started to tire that the South Americans took control.
In the end, it took a series of free kicks to bust them open and get one past Mohamed El-Shenawy, who was fantastic in front of goal throughout the contest. A header from Jose Gimenez ended up being enough, but there were plenty of nervy moments for Uruguay.
They will have plenty to improve on before they turn around to face Saudi Arabia in their next match. While they are expected to beat both them and Russia quite easily, they were also expected to get through the Egyptians with a minimum of fuss. With Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani looking out of form, it’s hard to get a read on their tournament prospects.
Egypt will move onto face Russia in a game which could well decide which team progresses into the Round of 16 out of Group A, alongside Uruguay.
Final score
Egypt 0
Uruguay 1
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