No Mo excuses for Cuper with Egypt on edge of elimination

Macdara Ferris reports from St Petersburg

Mo Salah made Hector Cuper’s starting XI and got himself on the score sheet against Russia, he couldn’t prevent Egypt suffering back-to-back World Cup defeats, which leave the Pharaohs on the brink of World Cup elimination.

Rather than Salah being the star man on the pitch, it was the old school Russian centre-forward Artem Dzuba who did the damage.

He led the line as the hosts won 3-1 in St. Petersburg to see them surprisingly top Group A, with six points from their two games.

Egyptian manager Hector Cuper cut a disappointed, if defiant, figure in the post-match press conference, brushing off the rather brusque question of his future as Egyptian manager.

"Whether I should stay or not does not only depend on me," said Cuper after the match.

"If those responsible are not happy with what I’ve done, I’ll be the first to leave.”

The main mystery about Egypt’s first participation in World Cup since Italia 90, is how they would have fared with a fit Mo Salah?

“I think that nobody can deny Mo Salah’s importance and we have been worried since he got injured,” said the Argentinian.

“What he would have done in top form in both matches? Hard to say. He would have given all of his qualities,

“He felt good and was in good shape. Behind a player of brilliance there must be a team. I feel proud. Perhaps we weren’t decisive.”

Cuper wasn’t making too many excuses but was rueing the fact that the injury to the Liverpool striker in the clash with Sergio Ramos in the Champions League Final certainly hindered his side’s planning.

“He couldn’t prepare with us in the training camp and had to train alone at times. I was convinced that he was in shape. The priority was for him to recover.

Salah won and fired home a 73rd minute penalty – his injury time spotkick against Congo had secured Egypt a berth in Russia – but it was too late to realistically give the Pharaohs a shot at the last 16.

“We all know what Mo Salah means for national team,” said Cuper who was left to think of what might have been. “He is a crucial vital player, a point of reference.

“He suffered an injury and we were worried about it. We would have preferred if his injury hadn’t occurred but it happened and that’s it.”

FIFA World Cup 2018 Report: Russia 3 - 1 Egypt https://t.co/3AqPhqhNm0pic.twitter.com/UAtKo07Yg9

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