Volgograd: Saudi Arabia deserved all three points from this, a 2-1 win nothing that they don't deserve from this. Mo Salah might have been the biggest name out there, but Salman Al Faraj was the best footballer.
That was a lovely game.
Smashing goal this, and nothing they don't deserve. Al Dawsari plays a couple of lovely one-twos before sashaying into the box and hammering a low, powerful shot into the bottom of the far post. WOOF!
PEEP! PEEP! PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! FULLTIME!
Saudi Arabia deserved all three points from this, a 2-1 win nothing that they don't deserve from this. Mo Salah might have been the biggest name out there, but Salman Al Faraj was the best footballer.
That was a lovely game.
Smashing goal this, and nothing they don't deserve. Al Dawsari plays a couple of lovely one-twos before sashaying into the box and hammering a low, powerful shot into the bottom of the far post. WOOF!
95'
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!! Salem Al Dawsariiiiiiiiii!
93'
Both teams seem content with a draw. At least both head him with a point in the bag
91'
Saudi move forward, Egypt move forward. Nothing happens at either end
90'
FOUR MINUTES ADDED ON!
89'
WOOF! Salah runs, Salah twists, Salah gets blocked. Story of his match.
88'
WOOF! Al Dawsari runs down the left flank, at pace, and it takes a superb Ali Gabr tackle to stop him.
87'
OH! HUSSAIN AL MOGAHWI! The first freekick is cleared, Al Shahrani lifts a delightful ball into the box, where the Al Mogahwi swivels and smashes a shot just outside El Hadary
86'
Fathy runs a mile with Al Shahrani's shirt in his grasp before pulling him down; and that's another freekick for AL Faraj to ping in.
84'
Salah looks to peel off the shoulder of the last man, Mortez, but the Saudi line holds firm and the superstar's offside
83'
Salah, a continent offside, plays Kahraba into space on the edge of the box, the ref raises his flag only after the sub smashes it straight at Al Mosailem
82'
OH MORTEZ! A silly backpass from the Saudi centre-back allows Salah to run at the Saudi goal... but Mortez recovers superbly and absolutely dominates Salah to win it back.
81'
OH! AL DAWSARI GHOSTS INTO THE BOX AND RUNS ON TO A PERFECTLY PING AL FARAJ BALL BEFORE TAMELY TOUCHING BACK TO EL HADARY
80'
Al Burayk takes. Al Burayk shouldn't have taken. It bounces off the wall and out to safety, Cuper takes the moment to take off Trezeguet and bring on Kahraba
79'
The Saudis get a freekick at a lovely range. Twenty five yards out, just left of centre. Perfect for a right footer. Pizzi takes the chance to make a sub - Al Muwallad goes off and Al Shehri comes on
77'
From the corner, another superb block; this from Mortez -- stops a Sobhi shot near the goalline. Another corner, more confusion, but the Saudi's clear.
76'
OH SALAH! OH SALAH! THERE IS THE MO SALAH WHO SET ENGLAND ON FIRE. He runs at one, at two, at three -- and it takes some insanely good tackle from Osama Hawsawri to stop him in the tracks.
75'
Egypt motor forward - Salah and co. pass it around nicely till the ref gets in the way and almost sets off Saudi on a counter. OH! TRAGICOMIC SCENES!
74'
Al Faraj takes! Al Faraj sends it into orbit.
73'
Salah does a cute little roulette to ease the pressure on the Egyptian defence and allow Fathy to run with it - but the fullback gives the ball away cheaply and he has to put in a foul to stop Salman Al Faraj's dangerous looking run
71'
OH SALAH! Another moment of class from the biggest name on the pitch as he sells Mortez down the river with a delightful dummy. This allows Elneny space to take a touch and size up a shot -- which then screws high and wide. Ai.
70'
ANOTHER GREAT HEADER! ANOTHER GREAT SAVE! From the corner, Asiri thumps a header at goal, El Hadary saves well.
69'
OH! OH! OH! AL MOGAHWI! EL HADARY! The excellent Salman Al Faraj pings a lovely ball deep into the area where Al Mogahwi thunmps a superb header at goal - and it's matched by an equally superb save from the ageless Egyptian skipper
66'
OH! Al Muwallad goes in a touch late on Ali Gabr. Only a foul, but the big man certainly felt that.
64'
Ramadan Sobhi is on for Morwen Mohsen. The Saudis respond by taking of Bahbri for Asiri.
63'
The Saudis rampage forward; another lovely move that ends with a shot in the stands. Al Mogahwi the culprit this time.
62'
OH! Salah almost seizes onto a hopeful Mohsen header forward; but the Saudi keeper is alive to the danger and sets Saudi off with a good throw.
61'
The Saudis are playing some spectacular football here. They one-touch pass their way to the box, where Al Dawsari's shot is well blocked. Nothing happens from the corner, but the Saudis are flying here
59'
OH BAHBRI! NO! He thrashes an utterly horrendous shot straight up into the Volgograd air! It's probably halfway to Riyadh by now.
58'
Bahbri feeds Al Muwallad down the right, but the two try to be too intricate in their passing and the ball bounces away to safety
57'
Al Mogahwi has a thwack from outside the box; it bounces off Hegazi and into safety. The Egyptians go forward; they don't succeed... the Saudis come back at full pelt...
56'
Egypt finally get a breather and they win a freekick near the corner flag. The initial set-piece is useless; but the ball's pinged back in by Fathy - from where Trézéguet leaps highest to thump a header well over the Saudi goal
54'
Salman plays another one early into Al Muwallad - but Hegazi intercepts. the ball bounces out to Al Burayk who crosses it in. Once again it loops out to a Saudi player - where, Hattan Babhir smashes it just over Hadary's crossbar
52'
It's all Saudi all the time now.
51'
Al Faraj pings a ball into Al Muwallad; who tries a quick turn and pass -- but the Egyptian giants close the door on him.
50'
The Saudis are on the uptick now; and they are passing it around rather slickly amongst themselves.
49'
OH! From the corner Motez Hawasawi goes down in the box and looks at the ref; he doesn't oblige this time, though.
48'
OH! Al Muwallad and Babhir link up rather nicely but the latter's pass into the box is smothered by El Hadary. The Saudi's come flying back and win a corner..
47'
Elneny steams into Al Shahrani and pings the ball out to Salah; who's on his bike... till the ref calls play back for a foul
46'
The Egyptians start on the front foot - and are enjoying a fair bit of the ball
PEEP! WE ARE OFF AGAIN!
I'm going to brew myself some tea. Some good ol' lemon tea. No milk. What sort of heathen puts milk in tea? Catch you in fifteen, eh?
PEEP! PEEP! That's the first half.
The Saudis have played well enough to earn themselves the 1-1. This is going to be a fun second 45!
Amr Warda has come on for El Said by the by.
He sends El Hadary the other way; and strokes it into the other corner. Superb pen.
45'
+ 6' GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! SALMAN AL FAAAAAAAAAAAAARAJ!
45'
+ 4' PENALTY IT IS! YELLOW FOR AL GABR!
45''
+ 3' VAR is taking their own sweet time to analyse this. They've asked the ref to have a look on the TV.
45' +
2' PENALTY! OH MY! ALI GABR LEANS INTO FAHD AL MUWALLAD AND THAT'S A PENALTY! WHAT! THE PHAROAHS CANT BELIEVE IT!
45'
+ 1' Al Shahrani and Al Dawsari are seeing plenty of the ball...
44'
El Said goes down injured, and he needs attention too. The Saudi's will look to make the most of their temporary one-man advantage. THREE MINUTES ADDED ON!
Hadary is down and needs a touch of attention. Everyone needs a breather
OH MY! The ball breaks out to AL Faraj; who's shot is blocked by Al Fathy; From the corner, they get another clear shot - and this time Hamed throws himself at it. Heroic defending!
40'
OH FAHD AL MUWALLAAAAD! OH MY! OH ESSAM EL HADARY! THE OLDEST PLAYER IN WORLD CUP HISTORY SAVES THE PENALTY SUPERBLY! WHAT A LOVELY SAVE!
39'
Al Shahrani runs into the box, and he attempts to cross it... OH! FATHY! THE BALL STRIKERS HIM ON THE ARM! PENALTY!
37'
The corner - as have most other corners and freekicks this game - is horribly poor.
36'
OH HEGAZI! WOOF! Some lovely, lovely football finally. Al Faraj plays in a superb ball into Al Dawsari. The winger immediately returns it - and from just inside the box, Al Faraj looks to place it into the far corner; but Hegazi is in the way and clears superbly. Corner
34'
Salah leads another rapid Saudi counter - which ends with Mahmoud Trezeguet screwing another curler-aimed-at-far-post into row Z. Ok, maybe row H this time.
33'
OH SALAH, OH SALAH, OH SALAH! He juggles with the ball, lifts it daintly over Osama's foot and touches the most sumptuous pass into Trezeguet's path. On the volley, he looks to curl it into the far post - Toni Kroos style - and succeeds in only passing it into row Z. That pass, though. WOOF
31'
Pizzi's so mad he's kicking water bottles on the sidelines. He's connecting better than any of his players are, truth be said
29'
El Said lifts it into the box - it's rubbish and Al Mosailem punches clear with absurd ease. Tarek Hamed gets it, and tries to belt it on the half-volley. He connects with nothing and spins around, where he gets another shot at it, and he connects with nothing but thin air again.
28'
Osama Hawsawri (henceforth just the Osama, eh) plows into Mohsen on the edge of the box and that's a Saudi freekick at the edge of the box.
26'
The Saudis still have all of the ball. ALL OF IT. But all those lovely little passing triangles are getting them nowhere
24'
OH MY GOOD LORD! WHAT A MISS! SALAH GETS FREE WITH A LOVELY RUN... looks the Saudi keeper in the eye and lifts the most horrendously floated chip well, well, wide. TOO CASUAL! TOO CASUAL! Cuper's losing it on the touchline
23'
Salah tries a give and go with Trezeguet but the latter gets bullied off the ball by Al Burayk and Osama Hawsawi, but Egypt get the ball back...
One long ball. One lovely Salah touch to kill the ball dead. One delightful Salah dink. 1 - 0 Egypt. THAT is the Hector Cuper way.
22'
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! SAAAAAAAAAAALAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
20'
Oh, much better for Saudi Arabia -- they pass it around for a minute or so, neat triangles and lovely angles; till Al Moghawi lifts a rather weak ball into the hands of El Hadary
19'
Egypt and Saudi exchange possession in quick succession; both sides need to take a deep breath and continue
17'
OH, MY LORD! MOTAZ HAWSAWI! WHAT A BEAST OF A MAN. Salah and Motaz have a footrace, both starting at the same line - and Motaz wins it. Premier League clubs, you lot watching this?
16'
Mo Salah bombs down the wing, and attempts to lift a ball in; Osama clears with ease. Amit Mishra, sitting next to me, screams "WHY DON'T YOU JUST CUT IN AND SHOOT, MAN?" He's a Liverpool fan, if you had any doubts.
15'
... OH! Trezeguets cross into the box is just behind Salah, and Al Shahrani uses that slice of fortune to start off a Saudi counter -- which ends with Salem Al Dawsari dribbling toward the end of the box and smashing a hammer of a shot just over Al Hadary's crossbar
14'
Al Dawsari pings a superb ball out to the overlapping Al Shahrani -- but the left back's ball is cut out. Egypt spring a counter...
12'
hey Egypt. Give the ball to Mo Salah. Please. What are you people doing? Mohsen attempts a fancy dribble around Osama, the Saudi rock looks at him, smiles, and shrugs the ball off him
11'
Trezeguet looks to race down the wing, and cut it back to Mohsen in the middle; but Al Burayk cuts it out well and pings a lovely ball out to Al Dawsari. The Saudi counter creates a measure of confusion tlll Hegazi solves it all by absolutely thulping a clearance into the stratosphere
10'
Mohsen and Trezeguet look to work a neat one-two at the edge of the Saudi box; but the men in green crowd him out
9'
The corner's rubbish.
8'
OH! Al Dawsari screams forward, through a couple of challenges and down the left flank. He plays it into Al Muwallad's path, but the forward can't get it ahead of him; he does the sensible thing and delays till he can pass it to Al Shahrani - who delays and wins a corner
7'
The Egyptians are passing it around a bit - it's the World Cup ball, everyone wants a touch... but as soon as Trezeguet looks to dribble through the crowd and ends up losing it
4'
Mo Salah gets a touch! And he tries to find Mohsen at the far post - but Osama Hawsawi does his bit and heads it well clear
3'
Otayf jogs into the middle of the field -- under no pressure whatsoever. He eschews passing options aplenty and still jogging ends up just outside the Egyptian box... from where he screws a hopeless dribbler-of-a-shot well wide
2'
...but Al Shahrani puts an end to all that by slamming into Salah and winning the ball back. Their turn to pass it around for a bit. Which ends when Al Burayk tries to ping it out to Al Muwallad; and doesn't succeed
1'
The Egyptians peg Saudi back will some lovely movement down the left...
PEEP! WE ARE OFF!
Egypt in white and black will kick from left to right as you'd see it on the telly; the Saudis will aim to move it the other way in their rather lovely deep all-green kits
The magnificent Saudi and Egypt national anthems have been belted; the former a stately, slow-building affair while the latter's a rather more rousing affair right from the off.
Hands have been shaken, photos have been taken, a coin is about to be tossed. Football is imminent.
It's Mo Salah time. He may not have had the impact he'd have wanted to on this World Cup - but he'll want to sign off on a high. And as the Saudis showed against Uruguay, they are doing their utmost to ensure they don't get remembered just for the 5-0 opening day drubbing. Should be a belter of a game.
LINEUPS OUT! CONFIRMED!
Saudi Arabia XI (4-2-3-1): Al Mosailem; Mohamed Al-Burayk, Osama Hawsawi, Motaz Hawsawi, Yasser Al Shahrani; Hussain Al Moghawi, Abdullah Otayf; Hatan Bahbri, Salman Al Faraj, Salim Al Dawsari; Fawad Al Muwallad
Egypt XI (4-2-3-1): Essam Al Hadary; Ahmed Fathy, Aly Gabr, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohammed Al Shafy; Mohamed Elneny, Tarek Hamed; Mohammed Salah, Abdallah Said, Mahmoud Trezeguet; Marwan Mohsen
