World Cup: Salah penalty too late as Egypt bow down to Russia, Rus 3 Egy 1

A late Salah goal was not enough for Egypt as Russia demonstrates a convincing win

Full-time analysis: Russia vs Egypt started with the hosts attacking from all fronts. The Egyptians soon picked up and started counter-attacking the Russians. The final ball was missing for both teams and at halftime, the scores were tied.

The match, however, was totally different in the 2nd half. It all started with the suicide goal by Ahmed Fathy of Egypt in the 47th minute, which is the 5th own goal at World Cup 2018 - only in 1998 have there been more at a WorldCup tournament.

After the suicide goal, the Russians picked up with two goals in quick succession by D Cheryshev in the 59th minute and A Dzyuba in the 62 minute. This was the 3rd goal in the Fifa World Cup 2018 for Cheryshev and the 2nd goal in the tournament A Dzuba. Chebyshev is now equal to Ronaldo in terms of goals scored in the tournament.

There seemed to be a twist in the tale when Mohammed Salah was brought down in the D box and VAR declared it to be a penalty to which he scored. But he Egypt revival didn't happen although they attack a lot after that. 

There was a clear sign of lack of creativity in the Egypt midfield and Salah was hardly supplied in the final 3rd.  

Mohamed Salah has had fewer touches than any other Egyptian outfield player in the first half against Russia.

Russia won the match convincely and has now scored more goals in this World Cup (8) than they had in their previous two World Cup tournaments combined. 

Russia's spot in the knockout stages can be secured tomorrow if Uruguay avoid defeat against Saudi Arabia, a result that would also seal a premature exit for Egypt. 

Trivia: Mohamed Salah is the third different player to score for Egypt at the WorldCup, after Abdelrahman Fawzi (1934) and Magdy Abed El Ghani (1990).

Russia's eight goals in the first two WorldCup games is a joint-record for a host nation (Italy 1934 also 8).

Updates:

85min:Egypt is trying hard to find a goal

73min:Salah scores penalty after being brought down   

62min:Dzyuba gets his second goal of the tournament   

59 min: 
Cheryshev doubles the lead with a fine strike

47min: Ahmed Fathy scores an own goal.

Trivia: There have been five own goals at World Cup 2018 - only in 1998 have there been more at a WorldCup tournament (6)

Mohamed Salah has had fewer touches than any other Egyptian outfield player in the first half against Russia.

Russia has now scored more goals in this World Cup (8) than they had in their previous two World Cup tournaments combined

Halftime report: Russia football team started the match on the front foot with a host of attacking chances. The left wing was thriving with Golovin who later shifted to a more attacking midfield role. There were chances for both the teams but none of the goalkeepers was majorly tested. 

The first half also saw a brilliant curler from Egypt striker Trezeguet and as the game progressed Salah also started to impact more in the game. In the 42nd minute, he did a stepover and his shot missed the goal post by small margins.

Russia also continued their attack but their final ball was missing.

The match has not seen a goal but it was not devoid of fine attacking. The 2nd half might see some goals with as defenders tire in the dying minutes of the game.

Hosts Russia will be eyeing to seal their berth for the knockout stage of the Fifa Worlf Cup 2018 when they face Egypt, who will be bolstered by the return of star forward Mohamed Salah, in their second Group A game here on Tuesday.

Russia will be high on confidence after butchering Saudi Arabia 5-0 in their opening game in Moscow. Egypt, however, suffered a 0-1 loss to Uruguay in the absence of Salah.

Russia currently top Group A charts on goal difference ahead of Uruguay while Egypt are placed third and another defeat for the North African nation will force them for an early exit from the mega event.

Updates:

30 min: Salah has been well marked by the Russian defence so far

20 min: It's all Russia so far but their final ball is missing as El-Shenawy is yet to be tested properly

10 min: In the early minutes it has been all Russia who is enjoying the majority possesion. 

1 min: The match gets underway in St Petersburg.

Trivia: Mohamed Salah was directly involved in 58 goals in 52 games for Liverpool last season (44 goals, 14 assists); only Lionel Messi (63) was involved in more in the top 5 European Leagues all comps.

Egypt have not scored a goal from open play at a World Cup since 1934.

Line-ups are out: 

Egypt XI: Mohamed El-Shenawy; Ahmed Fathy, Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed Shafy; Mohamed Elneny, Tarek Hamed; Mohamed Salah, Abdallah El Said, Trezeguet; Marwan Mohsen.

Russia XI: Igor Akinfeev; Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kutepov, Sergei Ignashevich, Yuri Zhirkov; Yuri Gazinskiy, Roman Zobnin; Aleksandr Samedov, Aleksandr Golovin, Denis Cheryshev; Artem Dzyuba. 

Egypt subs: Essam El Hadary, Sherif Ekramy, Ramadan Sobhi, Kahraba, Shikabala, Ahmed El Mohamady, Omar Gaber, Ayman Ashraf, Amr Warda, Mahmoud Hamdi, Sam Morsy, Saad Samir.

Russia subs: Andrey Lunev, Vladimir Gabulov, Fedor Smolov, Aleksey Miranchuk, Igor Smolnikov, Aleksandr Erokhin, Fedor Kudryashov, Daler Kuzyaev, Andrey Semenov, Vladimir Granat, Anton Miranchuk.

Salah returns, Dzagoev out for Russia

Salah has been declared 100 per cent fit to play by Egypt's team doctor which will be a major relief for the team management.

Egypt are strengthened by Salah's return while Russia will be weakened by the absence of creative midfielder Alan Dzagoev, who suffered injury in the opening game.

"Salah participated in training with his teammates for the entire session and he is ready to play against Russia according to technical staff," Egypt's team manager Ihab Leheta was quoted as saying by FIFA.com. "Russia's game is fateful and difficult because of our defeat against Uruguay," he added.

What Russian camp thinks

Denis Cheryshev, who was Russia's hero against Saudi Arabia after scoring twice, however feels even if Salah misses Tuesday's game, their task will not be easy.

"If he (Salah) is not there, does that mean our task becomes easy? Not at all," Cheryshev was quoted as saying by FIFA.com. The left winger felt that Salah's inclusion in Egypt's playing XI will make the issue interesting. "If he plays, it will be hard but more interesting. He's one of the best and you always want to compete with the best and win," Cheryshev added.

How the teams look

Apart from Cheryshev, Roman Zobnin, Aleksandr Golovin, Yury Zhirkov, Alexander Samedov will comprise the midfield behind Fedor Smolov. The dynamic midfield has shown in the previous game that it can initiate attacks from any part of the pitch.

Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kutepov and Sergey Ignashevich will form the defence.

Russia have to put the result against Saudi Arabia behind them as the game against Egypt will a totally different story.

With or without Salah, the hosts will have to fight hard to register another victory.

A win or a draw against Russia will keep Egypt's hopes alive ahead of its final group game against Saudi Arabia on June 25.

Overall, all eyes will be on Salah, who almost single-handedly led Egypt to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years.

The 26-year-old, who plays as a forward for English club Liverpool, netted five of the team's eight qualifying goals, including an injury-time penalty against Republic of Congo that ensured qualification got Egypt.

Salah will share the attack with Marwan Mohsen and Amr Warda, while the midfield of Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Elneny and Abdalla Said will be tasked with landing balance.

The backline of Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazi, Ahmed Fathi and Mohamed Abdel-Shafy had nearly stopped Uruguay before a late set-piece goal blew them away. The four players will have to block the Russian incisive attacks.

Where to watch the match

FIFA World Cup 2018 Russia vs Egypt match will take place on Tuesday, April 19, 2018 at 11:30 PM 

Russia vs Egypt will be broadcast on Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 2 HD, Sony ESPN, Sony ESPN HD in English Commentary and Sony Ten 3 and Sony 3 HD in Hindi Commentary.

Russia vs Egypt match will be available for live streaming on Sony Liv. And Both Airtel and Jio would broadcast the Fifa World Cup 2018 matches for free to their respective subscribers.

Here is the 23-man squad for Russia and Egypt

Russia

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev, Vladimir Gabulov, Soslan Dzhanaev, Andrey Lunev;

Defenders: Vladimir Granat, Ruslan Kambolov, Fedor Kudryashov, Ilya Kutepov, Roman Neustadter, Konstantin Rausch, Andrey Semenov, Igor Smolnikov, Mario Fernandes;

Midfielders: Yuri Gazinskiy, Alexsandr Golovin, Alan Dzagoev, Aleksandr Erokhin, Yuri Zhirkov, Daler Kuzyaev, Roman Zobnin, Alexsandr Samedov, Anton Miranchuk, Aleksandr Tashaev, Denis Cheryshev;

Forwards: Artem Dzyuba, Aleksey Miranchuk, Fedor Smolov, Fedor Chalov.

Egypt 

Goalkeepers: Sherif Ekramy, Essam El Hadary, Mohamed El Shennawy.

Defenders: Mohamed Abdel-Shafi, Ayman Ashraf, Ahmed Elmohamady, Ahmed Fathi, Omar Gaber, Ali Gabr, Mahmoud Hamdy, Ahmed Hegazi, Saad Samir.

Midfielders: Mohamed Elneny, Abdallah El Said, Tarek Hamed, Mahmoud Kahraba, Sam Morsy, Shikabala, Ramadan Sobhi, Mahmoud Hassan, Amr Warda.

Forwards: Marwan Mohsen, Mohamed Salah.

Russian Caoch Stanislav knows how to stop Salah

Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov says the World Cup hosts have figured out a way to reign in Egypt's striker Mohamed Salah in Saint Petersburg.

The 26-year-old has scored 44 goals in a sensational first season for Liverpool and is keen to make his debut after missing the Pharaohs' 1-0 opening game loss to Uruguay with a shoulder injury.

Salah's name has been creeping into conversations often since Russia's 5-0 thumping of Saudi Arabia in Thursday's tournament curtain-raiser.But Cherchesov said he was not particularly concerned.

"We know how to play against him," the Russia coach said after the team's morning training session.

"We are ready to stop Salah and we will." The bold promise highlights a new swagger that had been missing from the host nation's team for much of the past year.

But the men in red are now on the cusp of making their first knockout stage of a World Cup in post-Soviet history. The achievement would a huge relief for both players and Russians who worried about being humiliated on the world's biggest sporting stage. One poll said Thursday's win has seen the number of Russians who say they plan to follow the football rise from 52 per cent to 64 per cent. Russia's veteran goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev said he would rather focus on winning than any particular opposing player. "Would I prefer to see Salah play or not? I do not even know how to respond," said Akinfeev. "I would prefer to see my team win.

Harry sees Russia winning

Harry, an oracle otter from Sochi, has predicted that the Russian team will win their FIFA World Cup Group A game against Egypt on Tuesday, the administration in the Russian Black Sea resort city said.

"Harry is very patriotic. For the second time, he predicts the victory of the Russian team, and this time in a match against the Egyptian team. Harry has chosen a ball with our country's tricolour," director of the Sochi aquarium Zhanna Zazina said, according to the press service.

Earlier, Harry was right about the outcome of the opener between Russia and Saudi Arabia.