Get ready for today’s match, Egypt V. Uruguay, the second match of the FIFA 2018 World Cup. The host nation, Russia started off the 2018 World Cup with a 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia, today’s game is expected to be competitive.
Both Egypt and Uruguay have a strong squad, so it will be interesting to watch who will rise victorious. The game will start at 1 p.m. and will be held at Ekaterinburg Arena and will be broadcasted live on BBC.
The last time the two team faced each other was back in 2006 with Uruguay winning the game 2-0. So, definitely, Egypt will look for redemption this time. However, for Egypt, the fitness of Salah will be crucial as he hasn’t played a match since injuring his shoulder ligament during the Champion’s League final against Real Madrid.
The coach of Egypt, Hector Cuper has confirmed that Salah,26, will surely represent his side in today’s match. Cuper said Salah recovered ‘very very quickly’ and is ‘doing very well.’
He further added,
"We're trying to make him feel confident. The doctors are giving him the option to play or not, but I know Salah very well and I'm sure he's not afraid, he's not fearful."
On the other hand, Uruguay will play two young midfielders, Rodrigo Bentacur and Nahitan Nandez. And not to forget the strong and experienced front line with Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.
Here is the possible line up for both Egypt and Uruguay
Egypt:
El Hadary; Abdel-Shafi, Gabr, Hegazy, Ahmed Fathi, Hamed, Elneny, Sobhi, Said, Warda; Mohsen
Uruguay:
Muslera; Caceres, Gimenez, Godin, Pereira, Bentancur, Torreira; Rodriguez, Arrascaeta, Suarez; Cavani
Betting Odds
Heading into the game, Uruguay has more chances of winning the match as their squad contains experienced players like Suarez, Muslera, and Cavani. Both Suarez (98) and Muslera(97) will reach 100 caps by the end of the group stage. Also, the pair of Cavani and Suarez have scored a total of 92 goals.
Hence the betting rate is 9:1.5 for today's match.
Interesting facts:
- It is the first time that Egypt is facing a South American side.
- The Uruguayans are undefeated against African side.
- In Uruguay's last six World Cup run they have never won the opening game.
- It is the first World Cup of Hector Cuper as a head coach.
- On the day of the match, Salah will be celebrating his 26th birthday.
Players To Watch Out
Both the teams have exceptional players and here is a list of players who we think will play a key role in today's game.
Luis Suarez:
He has the skills and experience to change the whole game. He is known for his excellent ball control and finishing which will be crucial plus point for the Uruguayans. In eight World Cup games, Suarez has netted five goals and two a s sists.
Essam El Hadary:
Hadary is the oldest player in this World Cup at age 45 and his experience can come into play for this match. He appeared in all the qualifying game for Egypt and hopefully it will help him to remain calm in pressure situations. He also is the captain of Egypt.
Lucas Torreira:
The promising 22-year-old defensive midfielder, Torreira will be making his World Cup debut today. His impressive performance for his club Sampdoria has earned him a spot in the national team. This is great chance for this youngster to shine and hopefully, he does.
Edinson Cavani:
Coming into the World Cup, Cavani scored 10 goals in 15 appearances in the South American qualifying matches. He has the ability to score from anywhere in the box and his speed just makes it difficult for the defenders to catch up with him. In the 2017-18 season, he netted a total of 40 goals for his club PSG. It will be difficult for the Egypt side to keep him contained.
Mohamed Salah:
Over the few years, Salah has established himself as one of the best strikers in the world. He scored 32 goals for Liverpool breaking the EPL record of most goals scored in a season. Egypt will be depending highly on the speed and goal-scoring ability of Salah to lead them to the Round of 16.
