Those empty seats …
Further reading
Jonathan Wilson's match report
Updated
You can grade all of today’s players here if you want. Go easy on Suarez.
Full-time: Egypt 0-1 Uruguay
Uruguay were sluggish and predictable for most of the match but snatched victory at the end with a straight-forward a header from a freekick. Egypt will be grievously disappointed but, with Salah back, showed enough to suggest they can still get out of a low-quality group. Uruguay will need to improve to go deep in the tournament but it turned out to be a satisfying start for them.
Updated
90 + 3 min: There will be at least five minutes of added time in all, and Uruguay have spent much of it repelling crosses so far. But Hegazi gives them a get-out by committing a needless foul on Suarez/
90 min: Almost as soon as the goal went in the rather ungallant cameraman panned straight to Salah, who suddenly wasn’t smiling. Cuper must be wondering now whether he should have chucked him on, after all. You can be sure many millions of Egyptians are.
GOAL! Egypt 0-1 Uruguay (Gimenez 89)
Sanchez delivers a freekick from the right and Gimenez rises like Mark Wright to nod the ball into the net from seven yards! Uruguay have surely won it!
Updated
89 min: Cavani curls the freekick over the wall ... past the despairing dive of the goalkeeper ... and against the post! And Egypt’s defenders react smartly to scramble the ball away.
88 min: Danger here. Cavani is bumped to the ground by Fathi, giving Uruguay a freekick jsut outside the box, a little to the left of the D ...
85 min: Sanchez delivers a corner. Godin gets a head to it but not firmly enough to threaten. Shafy wellies the ball to safety.
83 min: Suarez tees up Cavani, who lets fly with a banger of a volley from just outside the box, bringing a brilliant one-handed save from Elshenawy! It’s only his fourth cap but the keeper has certainly justified his selection.
Updated
Egypt substitution: on comes Warda off, on comes Ramadan Sobhi, newly off Huddersfield Town. That means we won’t be seeing Salah today, apart from his regular appearances on the giant screen in the stadium. Guess Egypt are happy with a point.
79 min: Uruguay are too static to trouble Egypt. In fact, it’s starting to feel like time itself is standing still.
76 min: A terrible pass by Sanchez - a basic mis-hit - ruins a promising move for Uruguay. I wouldn’t go so far as to say Saudi Arabia will be fancying their chances but Uruguay have been dross.
73 min: Chance for Suarez! He spins his man in the box and is through on goal. But Elshenaway rushes off his line to close him down smartly. Suarez looked like he was expecting the keeper to over-commit but he didn’t.
72 min: A counter-attack by Egypt is ended by a wild foul .. bu the ref waves play on because the balls runs to Fathi, who lets fly with a ferocious drive from over 20 yards. And the keeper catches it well. Note: catches it, not cops out by punch it away.
69 min: A weak corner makes it as far as Cavani short of the near post. Cavani tries to turn and get off a shot but he’s crowded out by about five players.
67 min: “So, Uruguay are being frustrated by a team playing better football than them and Suarez is utterly frustrated,” notes Gokul Kannan. “I think we all know what comes next. Sinking his teeth into Salah’s shoulder in the 80th minute and then going on to score the winner?” Well, Salah hasn’t come on yet. And it’s a pickle as to whether Cuper should introduce him: victory is there, you feel, is it worth the risk?
Updated
64 min: Suarez gets the ball to the left of the box. He tries to cross but it’s blocked. it rebounds to him. And then he’s pestered into losing it. The message from this game so far is forget about Suarez and Cavani, what’s needed is a Uruguayan Mark Wright (one for lovers of Italia ‘90 there, folks).
Egypt substitution: Mohsen off and on comes Sal...no, only joshing, it’s Kahraba, but he’s nicknamed Electricity so be might bring a spark.
Uruguay substitution: Rodriguez on, De Arrascaeta off. Let’s see if the double change sparks Uruguay into action. Egypt have had their number so far.
Uruguay substitution: Sanchez on, Nandez off.
58 min: Excellent work by Trezeguet, winning back the ball with a strong challenge and then going on a winding run forward. But he eventually runs into trouble.
Updated
55 min: Egypt are dictating the tempo now and enjoying a lot of possession, knocking the ball about and forcing Uruguay to sit deep. Trezeguet, probing down the left, has hinted at penetration but not really carried through yet. It’s tight.
Updated
52 min: Egypt have responded to that injection of vim by Uruguay early in the second half. So this remains a tight and intense battle.
Egypt substitution: Hamed has to come off and is replaced by Sam Morsy, the Wolverhampton-born midfielder who plays for Wigan and is now a World Cup star.
Updated
48 min: Hamed is lying on his back in midfield. He’s in obvious pain after receiving a knee in the lower back from De Arrascaeta during a challenge. Accidental, no doubt. it does not look like Hamed will be able to continue.
Updated
46 min: No changes in personnel during the break, but a marked change in Uruguay’s tempo: within 45 seconds of the resumption Cavani slips in Suarez for a chance. Nothing wrong with the striker’s shot on the run this time, but ElShenawy makes a fine save!
Updated
Oh look!
Follow #WorldCup 2018 on @guardian_sport pic.twitter.com/o8JSeJRQjr
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) June 14, 2018
Half-time: Egypt 0-0 Uruguay
An unscrupulous man would suggest Uruguay should kick someone to wake themselves up. There’ll certainly be angry words exchanged during the interval because the South Americans have been oddly subdued. Some credit for that must go to Egypt, who have been dynamic and well organised. Cuper does not look capable of winning simply because they have been blunt up front: but they do have Salah on the bench ...
Updated
45 min: A skilful flourish by De Arrascaeta in midfield bu the ensuing cross by Uruguay is way off the mark. They’re been strangely off-colour so far, almost dozy.
43 min: Egypt launch a promising attack. But their final ball into the box twice lets them down.
42 min: Cavani drops deep into his own half to appeal for a pass. That’s been a common sight so far, lovely for Egypt to see.
40 min: Warda gets helped up by the referee after claiming to hurt his back following a fresh-air-overhead kick.
Updated
38 min: Godin makes a break from the back, gliding past one opponent before slipping the ball through to De Arrascaeta, who lets the ball run away from him in the Egyptian bo,x, much to the annoyance of Godin. Apparently De Arrascaeta - first name Giorgian - was named after a horse, but his touch there was that of a donkey.
36 min: Uruguay try to exert pressure again. But as soon as they get anywhere near the Egyptian box they can find no openings and no inspiration.
34 min: Egypt take up residence deep in the Uruguayan half. The threat from them is growing as they look to have more energy and more precision than Uruguay. So far there’s been no sign of sharpness up front from them, however. But they’ve been the better team so far, no doubt.
32 min: Freekick to Uruguay, 30 yards out. Suarez reckons this is the time for his luck to change But he curls the short straight into the wall.
30 min: Fathy nicks the ball off Suarez as Uruguay threatened to mount an attack. Suarez looks furious with himself: he’s just can’t get going today.
29 min: Elneny has begun well here but has just given the ball away with a stray pass. No matter, Egypt win it back again. They’re starting to make Uruguay look sluggish. Tabarez is looking very agitated on the sideline.
27 min: Mohsen does well to win a long punt from the keeper. He lays the ball back to Warda and then spins and receives it back again. His resultant shot through a couple of defender lacks power but is on target, at least, and forces Muslera to make his first save of the game.
Summary
25 min: An outswinging corner from the right runs all the way over to Suarez, who tries to sweep it into the net from six yards. He finds the net all right and the Uruguayan fans rejoice ... not realising it was the sidenetting! Suarez holds his mouth to stifle a naughty word. That was a bad miss: for the second time in the game, he did not connect cleanly with a shot.
Updated
24 min: Cavani hits a bouncing ball goalward from the edge of the area. Hegazi gets in the way.
23 min: De Arrascaeta curls in a corner for Uruguay. El Shenaway punches it clear.
21 min: Bentancur gets caught in possession in midfield. He is one of the players expected to provide Suarez and Cavani with better service than they got at the last World Cup, but he has been smothered well by dynamic Egypt so far.
19 min: El Said gets a lecture for diving over the leg of Caceres as Egypt tried to infiltrate the Uruguayan box. He should have been booked for that. The VAR official will have to retrospectively admonish the ref at half-time.
16 min: Freekick to Egypt, about 27 yards out and central. The big men come up from the back. El Said drifts the freekick towards Hegazi, but Uruguay head it away.
13 min: The big screen in the stadium shows Salah sitting on the bench. The crowd goes wild. A born entertainer.
Updated
12 min: Uruguay work Varela into space down the right wing. The former Manchester United winger pulls back a low cross to Suarez, who had held his run. But Suarez doesn’t catch his shot right and it wobbles several yards wide from a difficult angle.
Updated
10 min: It’s tight. Egypt are compact and energetic without the ball and tidy with it. Uruguay have yet to find any kind of inspiration and, indeed, are probably spending more time chasing the ball than anticipated. “It’s a mixed bag today for my mate SuperKev.,” reveals Steve Monkey. “His toddler nearly took his eye out in a nappy-changing incident last night but he has been signed off work for a week and at least gets to watch all the games through his one good eye. And the eye patch makes him look like a pirate. Give him a shout out will you.”
8 min: Cavani receives the ball with his back to goal, about 25 yards out. He spins and gets off a shot, but Shenawy saves his low effort.
7 min: Hegazi makes two interceptions in quick succession as Uruguay try to release Suarez with passes from deep. Otherwise, it’s quite a comfortable start for Egypt.
4 min: When they get the ball Egypt are trying to be constructive with it, not jut boot it away. Technically tidy, they’re enjoying a spell in the Uruguayan half.
3 min: Cavani is down clutching his handle after getting a whack from Hamed as they challenge for a loose ball near half-way. But the referee is not interested in his complaints.
2 min: It didn’t take long for Uruguay to regain possession and begin hogging the ball, as Egypt drop deep. That’ll be the pattern for most of the game, I fancy.
1 min: Uruguay, wearing angelic white, kick off. Immedaitely they lose possession to Egypt, clad in red tops and black shorts and socks.
Updated
How about a video telling the backstories of some of the top players at this tournament, including Suarez?
Uruguay’s anthem is more a sedate tune but no one’s going to be fooled by that.
The Egyptian national anthem benefits from enthusiastic accompaniment from their fans and players. They’re in the mood alright!
Updated
Here come the starting XIs: both countries seems to have large and noisy followings in the crowd, with Egyptians dominating one whole end of a stadium that is not completely full.
A smiling Salah gets a humungous cheer when he enters the arena to take his place on the bench.
Updated
This is a terrific interview with Diego Godín by Sid Lowe, touching, for example, on that wonderful garra charrrúa mentality.
Cavani and Suarez have 93 international goals between them. You’ve got to fancy them to reach the century during this tournament (isn’t that right, Saudi Arabia). But Egypt’s approach today will most likely be to concentrate on shutting them out. They’re unlikely to devote much time to attacking, at least until Salah comes on - though they are probably hoping to keep the score to 0-0 so they can save him for the next match.
Before we enjoy today’s fare, here’s The Fiver’s take on the first match and Saudi Arabia’s ridiculous performance.
Updated
Egypt and Uruguay might have met at the 1934 World Cup ... if Uruguay hadn’t refused to defend their title because only four European teams bothered to travel to South America fo the first tournament. Egypt took up the invitation in ‘34 and sailed over to Italy under a Scottish manager, James McCrae. They only lasted one match, beaten 4-2 by Hungary after having two goals controversially disallowed and conceding one following a challenge that left their goalkeeper with a broken nose. If only VAR had been around then, eh?
And here are tactical guides to both teams, as produced by the Guardian’s World Cup network: Uruguay here and Egypt here.
You may think you’ve heard enough about Salah, but this piece by Salma Islam is well worth a gander.
So as you can see from the teams below, Salah begins on the bench on his 26th birthday. Alongside him will be 45-year-old Essam El Hadary, as the Cuper has decided to give the gloves to Mohamed El Shenawy, the Al Ahly goalkeeper who’s a mere child of 29.
Updated
Teams:
Uruguay: Muslera; Varela, Gimenez, Godin, Caceres; Nandez, Betancur, Vecino, De Arrascaeta; Cavani, Suarez.
Subs: Silva, Campana, Coates, Pereira, G Silva, Laxalt, Rodrgiuez, Torreira, Urretaviscaya, Sanchez, Gomez, Stuani
Egypt: El-Shenawy; Fathy, Gabr, Hegazi, Shafy; Elneny, Hamed, Warda, El Said, Trézéguet; Mohsen
Subs: El Hadary, El Mohamady, Gaber, Morsy, Salah, Kahraba, Ashraf, Sobhi, Hamdi, Ekramy, Shikabala, Samir
Referee: B Kuipers (Ned)
Updated
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the second match of the 2018 World Cup and the first to feature some of the planet’s best players. It’s being billed in some places as Luis Suarez v Mohamed Salah - and in at least two households as Diego Godin v Ahmed Hegazi - but essentially it’s a clash between two teams who will fancy their chances of getting out of Group A even more after watching Russia and Saudi Arabia yesterday.
Uruguay, in particular, have realistic hopes of going much father than that. They finished second only to Brazil in the South American qualification league and are the highest-achieving football nation on Earth, twice world champions and 15-times winners of the Copa America - all from a population smaller than that of Los Angeles. And this side have a mean defence, inventive young midfielders and, of course, two of the most fearsome strikers around, in Suarez and Edinson Cavani. Mind you, there’s one hat-trick Suarez won’t be looking to complete today: in 2010 he perpetrated one of the most dastardly/heroic fouls in World Cup history when he deliberately handled the ball against Ghana; and in 2014 he tried to eat an opponent. How do you follow up those deeds? By firing your country to World Cup glory, ideally.
Speaking of firing your country to glory, behold Mo Salah! He’s back, albeit only on the bench! They’re aren’t many players who, after being Sergio Ramosed, would choose to make their return against Uruguay but Salah is no ordinary player. And with him Egypt have hope. They are not prolific scorers and stuttered during their buildup but, for the first appearance at the World Cup since 1990, the Pharaohs - under Hector Cuper - are likely to look to keep things tight and rely on their one true maestro to conjure moments of brilliance if he is introduced. We know he’s capable of it. It’s time for all the players of Egypt and Uruguay to stand up and deliver. And for us to sit down and enjoy. It’s on!
Updated
