Suarez scores in his 100th game as Uruguay win against Saudi Arabia, FT 1-0

Uruguay advance from the group stage while Saudi Arabia crash out of the World Cup after the Group A match.

The Matchday 7 at Fifa World Cup 2018 has arrived in Rostov Arena. Group A is back in action and Saudi Arabia look to get their campaign back on track after their opening humiliation against Russia. However, the experience will be the key when Uruguay look to seal their place in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup against Saudi Arabia here on Wednesday.

Full-time analysis: Uruguay are through to the last 16 courtsey their ability to grind out a win out of even drab matches. This was one of such games with chances coming few and far between at Rostov Arena in the Group 'A' match. Saudi Arabia are out of the tournament although they were arguably the better team but they paid for a moment of lapse in concentration in which Luis Suarez pounced and scored the sole game of the sluggish match. 

This was Luis Suarez's 100th appearance for his country. Their side is through to the last 16 and will play Russia to see who tops the group. Uruguay started in a 4-4-2 formation and Saudi Arabia in a 4-3-3. Although, neither team did enough to pose any remarkable threat at each others' goalposts. Even the goal by the FC Barcelona striker came after a faux pas by the Saudi Arabia goalkeeper who flapped at the cross but failed to connect with the ball, leaving Suarez, who was appearing in his 100th game for his national side, with a simple tap-in in the 21st minute.

Much of the play took place in the midfield. Saudi Arabia gave a much-improved performance as compared to their game against Russia in which they were thrashed 0-5. They were better while in possession with the ball and were creating chances too. But, they just couldn't find their feet in front of the goal. As for Uruguay, despite winning two games they seem like they haven't yet got into the groove with both of their wins coming due to their doggedness. They will have to better their performances if they want to stake a genuine claim to the trophy.

Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, have one more game to play before they return home. They have improved their performance. When they play against Egypt, which is also out of the tournament, they have nothing to play for other than honour.

suarez scores

Live updates:

Minute 86 -- Cavani gives two defenders the slip on the edge of the penalty area, hits the ball directly at the keeper. A good chance gone wasted.

Minute 82: Uruguay substitution: Nahitan Nandez on for Carlos Sanchez.

Minute 78 -- Substitution Mohammad Al Sahlawi in for Fahad Al Muwallad

Minute 74 -- Hattan Bahbir makes way for Mohmmaed Kanno

Minute 67 -- Carlos Sanchez takes a free-kick near the Saudi Arabia box. Caceres heads it over the bar.

Minute 64 -- Uruguay win a free-kick on the right. Carlos Sanchez takes it but it starts the counter-attack for Saudi Arabia. Al-Mulwallad is harried by Gimenez on the left. Free-kick for Saudi Arabia. Nothing comes out of that either.

Minute 61-- Uruguay restart quickly from a free-kick and Edison Cavani runs down the left flank before waiting for someone to arrive in the box. Sanchez arrives after what looks like forever and goes for a diving header to Cavani's cross. The ball sails over the bar.

Minute 58 -- Double substitution for Uruguay. Rodriguez makes way for Diego Laxalt and Vecino is replaced by Lucas Torreira.

Minute 49 -- Sanchez earns a free-kick for his team. He brings down a cross under control before a push from Saudi Arabia's Salman fells him over. Luis Suarez takes the free-kick which deflects off a Saudi Arabia player but the goalkeeper does well to parry it away.

Second-half begins.

Half-time report: It has been a very dull affair at Rostov Arena despite a goal by Luis Suarez. Neither team have done enough to pose any remarkable threat at each others' goalposts. Even the goal by the FC Barcelona striker came after a faux pas by the Saudi Arabia goalkeeper who flapped at the cross but failed to connect with the ball, leaving Suarez, who is appearing in his 100th game for his national side, with a simple tap-in in the 21st minute.

Much of the play has taken place in the midfield. Saudi Arabia are giving a much-improved performance as compared to their game against Russia in which they were thrashed 0-5. They have had more possession and chances too. With the scoreline reading 1-0 they still have a chance to stage a comeback and if they keep up their persistence, they might as well get one.

Live updates: 

Minute 45 -- Saudi Arabia break down the left and a Saudi player is trying to latch on to it but Diego Godin reaches the ball earlier and clears the danger.

Minute 43 -- Substitution: Hussain Al Mogahwi is in agony after throwing himself after a loose ball on the edge of the Uruguay box. He is replaced by Taisir Al Jassim.

Minute 37 -- After a series of dull moments, Uruguay's Rodriguez does well down the left wing and passes it to Suarez redirects the ball to the left wing. Rodrigez hoops the ball into the box where Cavani is lurking but the cross is intercepted by Al Jassam who clears it away from his box.

Minute 28: Hatan Bahbir misses a glorious chance as a cross comes from the left flank which Uruguay's Diego Godin uncharacteristically misses. Bahbir though hits it over the bar.

Minute 26: Saudi Arabia's Hatan Bahbir cuts in from the right and fancies a strike which Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera tops over the bar.

URU 1-RSA 0

Minute 21 (GOAL!!) -- Terrible from Saudi Arab defence. Uruguay get a corner and Suarez, of all people, is left unmarked at the far-end. The Barcelona striker has a practically empty goal in front of him and he taps home the opener.

Minute 14 -- Suarez hits the side-netting after his strike is deflected off a Saudi Arabia defender. 

Minute 12 -- Uruguay get their first real chance. A lofted ball finds Martin Caceres on the left wing who crosses it to Edison Cavani but the PSG striker can only shoot it up and over the bar. 

Minute 7: Free-kick for Saudi Arabia a few yards outside the Uruguay box. Al-Breik takes the shot but shoots straight into the wall. Saudi have been decent in the start.

Line-ups:

Uruguay preview: Uruguay's 1-0 win against Egypt in their opening match means beating Saudi Arabia would leave Uruguay with six points and allow them to book their place in the knockout phase as long as Egypt does not beat Russia on Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Trivia:

-- Uruguay are looking to win their first two matches of a World Cup tournament for the first time since 1954. (Source: OptaJoe)

-- Luis Suarez will make his 100th appearance for Uruguay today versus Saudi Arabia, becoming the sixth Uruguayan to reach this landmark. (Source: OptaJoe)

--  Luis Suarez is the first Uruguayan player to score in 3 different World Cups (2010, 2014 & 2018). (Source: OptaJoe)

Uruguay disappointed against a rugged Egypt side in their first game, needing a late header from Jose Gimenez to seal the win and veteran coach Oscar Tavarez is expected to make changes with Carlos Sanchez and 'Cebolla' Rodriguez expected to start.

Rodriguez is an excellent provider, while Sanchez is a box-to-box midfielder with a habit of getting into the rival penalty area at the right time, and the pair should give more punch to a side which struggled to create chances against Egypt as Luis Suarez looked heavy and off the pace.

As well as boosting his options in front of goal, Tavarez's changes mean he will have seven players aged 30 or more in his starting 11 ( Fernando Muslera (32), Diego Godin (32), Martin Caceres (31), Carlos Sanchez (33), Cristian Rodriguez (32), Luis Suarez (31) y Edinson Cavani (31)); and in theory Uruguay should be too strong for Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia preview: Saudi Arabia landed here after a frightening journey in which one of the engines on the aircraft which flew them in from Saint Petersburg caught fire.

The Saudi players were strongly criticised for their performance in their 0-5 defeat to Russia in their opening match in the World Cup, with one top official accusing them of making "just 5 per cent effort."

Saudi Arabia enjoyed 60 per cent possession against Russia but failed to have a single shot on target and were pulled apart on the break. It remains to be seen whether this was due to 'stage fright' caused by meeting the pumped-up hosts (and their fervent fans) in the first game of the tournament, or from a lack of quality and concentration.

Coach Pizzi now has the task of ensuring his players focus on a game where anything other than a win will mean they suffer the ignominy of being one of the first teams to be knocked out of the tournament. And after becoming Saudi Arabia's third first-team coach in a three-month spell when he was appointed in November last year, he also knows what the price of failure is likely to be.

An omen? 

This will be a make-or-break game for Saudis against Uruguay after a frightening flight from their training ground in St Peterburg.

The Saudi plane landed safely here after an incident in which their plane caught fire during the flight, with a video showing flames coming from beneath one of the wings.

The airline Rossiya said the first cause of the problem had been a bird-strike on one of the engines, but that both had been in perfect working order on landing here.
 

On landing, the Saudis posted photos of the team getting off the plane and confirmed: "all the Saudi national team players are safe, after a technical failure in one of the aeroplane engines that has just landed in Rostov-on-Don airport".

Although the plane landed safely, it is not the perfect way to start preparations for a game the Saudi Arabians have to win on Wednesday in order to avoid an early exit from the competition following their 0-5 defeat to Russia in the opening match of the World Cup.

Players have their say

Saudi midfielder Taisir Al-Jassim ensures the fans that his team still has a chance despite the lopsided result against the hosts, and that they are determined to show Saudi football in its proper light. "Now we join hands for the next game", said Al-Jassim.

Uruguay's Jose Gimenez, whose late goal delivered victory for his team over Egypt in their opener, says that his team know how to adapt their game to an opponent desperate for a victory. "We know how to be defensive", said Gimenez.

Trivia: If Luis Suarez can find the net against Saudi Arabia, he will become his country's joint-second top scorer at the FIFA World Cup, together with his 2010 strike partner Diego Forlan.

Groups

With Russia's 3-1 win over Egypt in Saint Petersburg, this is how the standings look in Group A ahead of the match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. The hosts are not yet qualified for the Round of 16, but they are well positioned to do so.

Uruguay squad in Fifa World Cup 2018:

Goalkeepers: Martin Campana (Independiente), Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama).

Defenders: Martin Caceres (Lazio), Sebastian Coates (Sporting), Jose Maria Gimenez (Atletico Madrid), Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid), Maximiliano Pereira (Porto), Gaston Silva (Independiente), Guillermo Varela (Penarol).

Midfielders: Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Cruzeiro), Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus), Diego Laxalt (Genoa), Nahitan Nandez (Boca Juniors), Cristian Rodriguez (Penarol), Carlos Sanchez (Monterrey), Lucas Torreira (Sampdoria), Matias Vecino (Inter).

Forwards: Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain), Maximiliano Gomez (Celta Vigo), Luis Suarez (Barcelona), Cristhian Stuani (Girona), Jonathan Urretaviscaya (Monterrey).

Saudi Arabia in Fifa World Cup 2018:

Goalkeepers: Assaf Al-Qarny, Mohammed Al-Owais, Yasser Al-Musailem, Abdullah Al-Mayuf.

Defenders: Mansoor Al-Harbi, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Mohammed Al-Breik, Saeed Al-Mowalad, Motaz Hawsawi, Osama Hawsawi, Omar Hawsawi, Mohammed Jahfali, Ali Al-Bulaihi.

Midfielders: Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Abdulmalek Al-Khaibri, Abdullah Otayf, Taiseer Al-Jassim, Houssain Al-Mogahwi, Salman Al-Faraj, Nawaf Al-Abed, Mohamed Kanno, Hattan Bahebri, Mohammed Al-Kwikbi, Salem Al-Dawsari, Yehya Al-Shehri.

Forwards: Fahad Al-Muwallad, Mohammad Al-Sahlawi, Muhannad Assiri.

When and where to watch:

The match will be telecasted live in English on SONY TEN 2, in Hindi on SONY TEN 3 and in Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu on SONY ESPN.

Time: 8.30 PM IST

For live streaming, the match can be streamed at sonyliv.com