Luis Suarez missed a series of chances, but José Giménez’s late header gave Uruguay a 1-0 win over Egypt in the second match of the 2018 World Cup.
Russia had beaten Saudi Arabia 5-0 yesterday, so both teams were looking to join the hosts at the top of the group.
There was plenty of Serie A intrigue in the Uruguayan side, with Inter’s Matias Vecino starting in central midfield alongside Rodrigo Bentancur of Juventus.
Luis Suarez missed a series of chances, but José Giménez’s late header gave Uruguay a 1-0 win over Egypt in the second match of the 2018 World Cup.
Russia had beaten Saudi Arabia 5-0 yesterday, so both teams were looking to join the hosts at the top of the group.
There was plenty of Serie A intrigue in the Uruguayan side, with Inter’s Matias Vecino starting in central midfield alongside Rodrigo Bentancur of Juventus.
On paper Oscar Tabarez can boast one of the best strike partnerships at the tournament, with Barcelona’s Luis Suarez partnering Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani.
The former should have opened the scoring after 25 minutes, but he somehow managed to screw the ball wide inside the six yard box with the goal gaping.
A brave Egyptian header blocked Cavani’s goal-bound volley, before Suarez was denied by goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy after the break.
The Barça man had a third chance, but he tried and failed to take the ball around El-Shenawy.
The goalkeeper was a full stretch late on to beat away a Cavani strike, while Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira was introduced to try and offer some creativity.
Cavani was fouled on the edge of the box with just three minutes remaining, and the former Napoli man dusted himself down to take the kick.
It was a fine strike, but the ball cannoned back off the post and was scrambled clear by the Egyptian defence.
As the clock ticked toward injury time it appeared the game was heading for a stalemate, but José Giménez had other ideas.
Substitute Carlos Sanchez swung in a free-kick from the right, and it was the Atletico Madrid defender who rose highest to bullet in a header and win the match.
Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian talisman who is struggling with a shoulder injury, looked on from the bench in anguish.
Egypt 0-1 Uruguay
Giménez 89 (U)
Egypt: El-Shenawy; Fathy, Gabr, Hegazy, Abdel-Shafi; Hamed (Morsy, 50), Elneny; Warda (Sobhi, 82), Said, Trezeguet; Mohsen (Kahraba, 63)
Uruguay: Muslera; Varela, Giménez, Godin, Caceres; Nandez (Sanchez, 58), Vecino (Torreira, 87), Bentancur, De Arrascaeta (Rodriguez, 59); Suarez, Cavani