Egypt 0-1 Uruguay: Gimenez hits last-minute winner as they beat Salah-less Pharaohs

Jose Gimenez scored last-minute header to give Uruguay crucial win as they beat Salah-less Egypt 1-0.

2018 World Cup

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Match Events

8' CHANCE! Cavani's shot saved

SAVE! Cavani has the first attempt of the match, firing a low shot from outside the box that El-Shenawy managed to keep out comfortably.

23' CLOSE! Suarez hits the side netting

WIDE! Suarez has a golden opportunity to open the scoring for Uruguay as a corner fell to the Barcelona star at the far post but he slices his effort into the side netting.

47' CLOSE! Suarez's shot saved

SAVE! Another huge opportunity for Suarez after Cavani flicks a ball over the defence to the striker, who smashes a shot at goal but sees his attempt superbly kept out by El-Shenawy.

73' BIG CHANCE! Suarez's shot saved again!

BIG CHANCE! Uruguay immediately hit on the counter and Cavani pokes a ball through to Suarez, who tries to dribble around El-Shenawy but the Egypt goalkeeper dives to the striker's feet to snatch the ball.

88' CLOSE! Cavani hits the post

OFF THE POST! Inches away from a winning goal! Cavani curls a free-kick that has El-Shenawy beaten but it bounces back off the frame of the goal, with Sanchez then blocking the rebound from his own team-mate.

90' GOAL! Egypt 0-1 Uruguay (Jose Gimenez)

GOAL! 1-0 URUGUAY! Sanchez delivers a free-kick from the right and Gimenez rises highest in the area to head into the right-hand corner of the net. Heartbreak for Egypt!

MATCH REPORT

Jose Gimenez spared the blushes of Uruguay's all-star forwards with a 90th-minute winner to see off Egypt 1-0 in their World Cup opener.

Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani each passed up opportunities to clinch the points against a Pharaohs side who kept Mohamed Salah on the bench, but it was centre-back Gimenez who proved the hero.

After the excitement of Group A rivals Russia's goal frenzy a day earlier, there was a serious lack of invention on show in Ekaterinburg.

Suarez missed two golden chances as goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy excelled, before Cavani struck the post with a late free-kick, seemingly sealing a point for Egypt on their return to the finals.

But Gimenez rose highest to meet a set-piece and bury a header past El-Shenawy, celebrating a fine end to a week in which he signed a new contract at Atletico Madrid.

Egypt offered little in Salah's absence and are now under pressure heading into a clash with Russia, while Uruguay - and particularly Suarez - can breathe a sigh of relief.

Line-ups

Egypt XI: Ahmed Fathy, Abdallah El Said, Mohamed Shafy, Mohamed El-Shenawy, Tarek Hamed, Ahmed Hegazi, Ali Gabr, Marwan Mohsen, Mohamed Elneny, Trézéguet, Amr Warda

Subs: Sherif Ekramy, Essam El Hadary, Ahmed El Mohamady, Shikabala, Sam Morsy, Ayman Ashraf, Saad Samir, Mohamed Salah, Omar Gaber, Kahraba, Mahmoud Hamdi El Wensh, Ramadan Sobhi

Uruguay XI: Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani, Martín Cáceres, Fernando Muslera, Diego Godín, Matías Vecino, Guillermo Varela, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, José Giménez, Nahitan Nández, Rodrigo Bentancur

Subs: Cristian Rodríguez, Maxi Pereira, Cristhian Stuani, Martín Silva, Carlos Sánchez, Jonathan Urretaviscaya, Sebastián Coates, Martín Campaña, Gastón Silva, Diego Laxalt, Lucas Torreira, Maxi Gómez