- Michael Hanley
- Sat, Jun 16 2018
A last minute header from Atletico Madrid centre back Jose Maria Gimenez was enough to give Uruguay all three points in this Group A encounter against Egypt in a sparsely populated Ekaterinburg Arena on Friday afternoon.
Egypt, who had to play without Mohammed Salah, defended superbly for large periods of the game and will count themselves as very unlucky not to have held out for a point which, on the balance of play, they probably deserved.
Uruguay lined up in a standard 4-4-2 with Edison Cavani playing just off the right of Luis Suarez. Egypt drafted in Al Ahly Cairo’s Marwan Mohsen to deputise for Salah and had the influential Mohammed Elmeny from Arsenal playing as a holding midfielder in front of their back four.
The first half was a tense affair. Suarez squandered a wonderful chance in the 23rdminute when he hit the side netting from inside the six-yard box but that aside there was little else of note to trouble the outstanding Hegazi and Gabr at the centre of the Egyptian defense.
After an initial bright opening, Uruguay became rather predictable in their play. They lacked any width as their full backs rarely ventured forward and it was left to Cavani who worked tirelessly to find opportunities for the increasingly frustrated Suarez to try to create openings for Uruguay.
Egypt, whilst looking very solid at the back, lacked a cutting edge up front as the dominant Diego Godin repeatedly closed down any probing runs from Mohsen.
Both sides entered the second half with no changes and after only two minutes Egypt’s goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawi, who was only winning his fourth cap, made a brilliant save from Suarez who was put through on goal by clever Cavani chip.
Egypt settled after this however with Mohammed Elmeny outstanding in breaking up Uruguayan attacks on the edge of his box and pushing forward to support the clever Trezeguet and Abdall El Said.
Ahmed Fahti forced a decent save from Fernando Muslera in the 73rdminute as Egypt, under the control of Elemny, began to look increasingly comfortable.
Into the last ten minutes and Egypt began to sit very deep. Cavani forced a great stop from El Shanawi with a volley from 20 yards and then in the 87thminute hit the inside of the Egyptian post with a curling free kick.
With the clock reading 89 minutes Hegazi organised his defense one last time to face a Carlos Sanchez free kick but the powerful Giminez rose highest to power home an emphatic header to give Oscar Tabarez’s men the late late win.
Next up for Egypt is Russia next Tuesday at 7pm whilst Uruguay face Saudi Arabia a day later
Uruguay:Fernando Muslera, Martin Caceres, Diego Godin, Jose Giminez, Guillermo Varella, Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Cristian Rodrigues 59), Rodrigo Bentacur, Matias Venico (Lucas Torreira 87), Nahitan Namdez (Carlos Sanchez 58), Edison Cavani, Luis Suarez.
Booked: None.
Egypt:Mohammed El Shenawi, Ahmed Fathi, Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohammed Abdel Shafy, Mohammed Elmeny, Tarak Hamed (Sam Morsy 50), Amr Warda (Ramadan Sobhi 82), Abdall El Said, Trezeguet, Marwan Mohsen (Mahmoud Kharaba 63).
Booked:Sam Morsy (90+4), Ahmed Hegazy (90+5).
Referee:Bjorn Kuipers (NED)
Attendance:27,015
Extratime.ie Man of the Match:Mohommed Elmeny (Egypt)
