Egypt vs Uruguay LIVE World Cup 2018: Is Mohamed Salah playing - latest score, goals and updates
Follow all the latest from Egypt 0-1 Uruguay in Ekaterinburg
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Your support makes all the difference.Preparations for Egypt’s first World Cup finals match for 28 years have been overshadowed by the question of Mohamed Salah’s fitness.
The Liverpool superstar has been deemed fit to travel to Russia and yet it remains unclear how much of a factor his injured shoulder will allow him to be at the tournament.
Hector Cuper’s men have little margin for error at Central Stadium in Yekaterinburg. Uruguay are widely fancied as dark horses for World Cup 2018 and will be satisfied with nothing less than top spot in Group A.
Follow all the live action below…
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What time is kick-off?
Egypt vs Uruguay kicks off at 1pm.
Where can I watch it?
The game will be broadcast live on BBC One.
Odds
- Egypt Win: 13/2
- Uruguay Win: 7/11
- Draw: 14/5
Prediction
Egypt 0-2 Uruguay: Atletico Madrid pair Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez will keep Egypt at bay while Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani make the difference at the other end.
But who do you think will win? Let us know by voting above.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Egypt vs Uruguay in World Cup Group A.
The match kicks-off at 13.00, so join us a few hours before kick-off for build-up and team news before minute-by-minute coverage.
Right then, team news and it's big team news.
Mohamed Salah is NOT fit to start against Uruguay in Egypt's World Cup opener.
He's only healthy enough for a place on the bench. A big blow after manager Hector Cuper expressed confidence only yesterday he would play from the start in Ekaterinburg.
And now the Uruguay team is in.
No such surprises here where the big two, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani start up top.
Juventus' Rodrigo Bentancur starts in the middle of the park alongside Inter's Matias Vecino.
Watch out for Giorgian De Arrascaeta on the left. A very tidy player.
Injury to Mohamed Salah denies us his creativity and goal threat from the offset, but how important could he be off the bench? Diego Godin and co will be hoping their own attacking firepower from Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani can have the game wrapped up before Hector Cuper can introduce Salah.
With hosts Russia impressing against a poor Saudi Arabia in Group A's opening match yesterday, both Uruguay and Egypt will be looking to get off to a flying start. On paper Russia looked a spent force, but with home advantage and a 5-0 opening day victory they suddenly look dangerous.
Ed Malyon took a closer look at the hosts following their victory...
Egypt's manager Hector Cuper will be without Mohamed Salah despite his hopes that the Liverpool star would be fit enough for the opening encounter. But what else do we know about the Egyptians?
Cuper sets up his teams with a strong defensive core, and they conceded just 20 goals in his first 35 games in charge. Talking of defence - the Egyptian's centre back pairing of Aly Gabr and Ahmed Hegazy will be a familiar one for English football fans, with both contracted to West Bromwich Albion.
There, Hegazy has been the more impressive, with Gabr failing to play a single game of the Baggies relegation battle. Suarez and Cavani will be ready to pounce on any rustiness from the 29-year-old.
FIFA World Rankings can often be inaccurate (and that's being polite) but with Egypt ranked 46th, and Uruguay 17th, it's fair to say the South American's come into this one as favourites.
Aside from the obvious stars of Suarez and Cavani, Rodrigo Bentancur could rise to the occasion on the biggest stage of all.
At just 20, Bentancur is far from the finished product, but the Juventus midfielder could be key in releasing Suarez and Cavani upfield. With just a handful of caps to his name the World Cup will be a steep learning curve, but one that could see the birth of a star.
Mohamed El Shenawy will earn just his 4th cap ahead of 45-year-old Essam El-Hadary in goal against Uruguay. But what of the incredible striking talents that will be firing at his goal?
Luis Suarez has left the last two World Cup's in a cloud of controversy, from handballs to biting opponents it's fair to say a game with Suarez is never magnolia. But in the last four years Suarez has matured at Barcelona and will be hoping to right the wrongs of the past.
Another looking to step up for his country will be Edinson Cavani, an undoubtedly talented player that has often found himself in the shadows of greats, from Diego Forlan to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Impressing at Paris St Germain, Cavani, now more than ever, should be ready to lead his country.
But will they falter under the bright lights of Russia? We'll soon find out with kick off just 20 minutes away.
The fans are ready and waiting. They've been waiting a long, long, time for this moment, 10,221 days to be precise - their last World Cup game was back in June 1990.
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