Uruguay got their 2018 World Cup campaign off to a winning start this afternoon courtesy of a late 1-0 victory over Egypt at the Ekeratinburg Arena.
Egypt were missing star player Mohamed Salah through injury, but it looked as though they had done enough to earn a point thanks largely to some wasteful finishing from Luis Suarez.
However, Jose Gimenez sent a towering header into the net in the final minute of normal time to rescue the win for Uruguay, taking them joint-top of Group A alongside hosts Russia.
Find out how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute coverage below.
The competition got off to an incredible start yesterday with hosts Russia thrashing Saudi Arabia 5-0 in Moscow, and that now puts the pressure on these two to get a result here and keep up with the new Group A leaders.
We have some very interesting team news to bring you - news which has been three weeks in the making - so let's waste no time in getting the buildup to this first full day of World Cup action underway!
The winger's shoulder injury has been the talk of Egypt ever since - and Ramos would be advised not to go to the country on holiday any time soon - but manager Hector Cuper yesterday suggested that the free-scoring Liverpool winger would be fit to play.
Cuper said that Salah's participation would be down to the player, and there have been no risks taken with him only being handed a place on the bench.
© Reuters
Salah's importance to Egypt can not be overstated - he scored 71% of his side's goals in World Cup qualifying, including the one which took them to the tournament for the first time since 1990, and his five goals in the third round of African qualifying was more than any other player managed. The Liverpool winger has 33 goals in 57 international appearances overall, which is a very good record at this level.
The winger is coming off the back of a truly remarkable campaign in which he scored 44 goals across all competitions, including an unprecedented 32 in a 38-game Premier League season. Some good performances at this World Cup could catapult him into real contention for the Ballon d'Or this year.
West Brom's Ahmed Hegazi and Arsenal's Mohamed Elneny both start, as does forward Trezeguet - named because of his resemblance to the former France World Cup winner David.
Back to the bench, and we are denied the opportunity to see Essam El-Hadary break a World Cup record - at least from the off - as the 45-year-old, who could become the oldest player in the tournament's history this summer, is left out of the starting lineup.
Between them they scored 69 club goals during the 2017-18 campaign, and they also boast a fearsome record of 93 international goals between them. Indeed, these two are the highest-scoring Uruguayan players in history for the national team, with Suarez leading the way on 51 and Cavani nine behind him on 42.
Suarez was widely criticised for a handball on the line, red card and then celebration when fan-favourites Ghana missed the resulting penalty at the 2010 World Cup, and then four years ago in Brazil he bit Giorgio Chiellini during a group game against Italy, which remains his most recent World Cup outing after being kicked out of the last tournament.
© Reuters
Youngster Rodrigo Bentancur is a very bright prospect in midfield too, while 22-year-old Nahitan Nandez is also included from the start today, but rumoured Arsenal target Lucas Torreira has to make do with a place on the bench.
Of the 100-capped players, only Godin (116) and Cavani (101) start today, but it is also a 99th international appearances for Suarez and a 98th for goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
Even so, the Pharaohs will feel that they have been handed a fairly kind draw in the group stages, with no team ranked inside the top 13 including in Group A. That said, Uruguay have all that quality and Russia have the home advantage - not to mention five goals already under their belts following their opening-day rout of Saudi Arabia - so Egypt face a difficult task to qualify for the last 16.
Indeed, this is their first appearance at a World Cup for 28 years, and only their third campaign ever, having previously qualified in 1934 and 1990. Incredibly, considering their African Cup of Nations record, Egypt have never so much as won a game at a World Cup before, drawing twice and losing twice.
No African team has played as many World Cup games without winning one, which is completely at odds with their dominant record on their own continent.
That most recent tournament did hint at a return to the good times for the Pharaohs under manager Hector Cuper, though, as they made it all the way to the final before losing to Cameroon.
Such results must be taken with a pinch of salt, though, as the only one of those Salah played in was the narrow 2-1 defeat to Portugal, when Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in stoppage time to cancel out Salah's opener.
Indeed, Egypt have only scored once in the last four games they have been without Salah, and they were the lowest scorers of any African team to have qualified for the tournament, netting just eight times.
Cuper was once one of the most renowned coaches in Europe after leading Valencia to back-to-back Champions League finals at the start of the century, although he lost both of those. In fact, losing finals is an unwanted trait he has picked up during his career, including in the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt just last year.
© Reuters
It has been a very kind group for Uruguay, with Egypt ranked 45th in the world and Saudi Arabia and Russia the two lowest-ranked teams in the tournament, meaning that this game today should be their toughest. A victory would set them up very nicely for their meeting with the Saudis on Wednesday and then hosts Russia on June 25.
Indeed, Tabarez's side won just two of their 11 games from the end of 2016 to the end of 2017, but so far in 2018 they have a perfect record of three wins from three, without conceding a single goal.
Their only other matches so far this year came in the China Cup in March, where they beat Czech Republic 2-0 and Wales 1-0 to lift the trophy, but none of those teams are at this World Cup.
That victory was by a solitary goal to nil against Peru in qualifying, and since then Uruguay have drawn three and lost four of their matches against World Cup-calibre opposition. Will they be adequately prepared to go far in the tournament?
It would not feel quite right for Uruguay to be absent from the World Cup as they hold a unique place in its history, hosting and winning the first tournament in 1930 and also lifting the trophy in 1950 when they beat hosts Brazil in the final. Their best finish in more recent times came eight years ago, when the Diego Forlan-inspired team reached the semi-finals.
An Egyptian win would be a similar shock today, particular considering Uruguay have never lost to African opposition at the World Cup, although they have also failed to win any of their last six World Cup openers stretching back to 1970.
Now 71 years old, Tabarez regained control of the team in 2006 and has been widely credited with turning them into a force again - leading them to fourth place at the 2010 World Cup, the 2011 Copa America title and the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup.
Today will be his 16th World Cup game in charge - he is nearing 200 overall from his two spells - and he has won six, lost six and drawn three of the previous 15.
© Reuters
at the risk of doing many players a disservice, Egypt's chances in this match may well have rested with Salah starting - not only because of what he can do with the ball but also because of how much attention Uruguay would have had to focus on him. The Liverpool winger could still have an impact off the bench, of course, but I am going for a Uruguay win.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Egypt 0-2 Uruguay
One of Uruguay's scorers that day - Diego Godin - starts again today almost 12 years later, and El Saqqa's own goal doubled Uruguay's lead in the previous contest.
The anthems are done, so here is a reminder of the team news before we get started...
EGYPT STARTING XI: El Shenawy; Fathy, Gabr, Hegazi, Abdul Shafy; Elneny, Hamed; Warda, El Said, Trezeguet; Mohsen
URUGUAY STARTING XI: Muslera; Valera, Godin, Gimenez, Caceres; Nandez, Bentancur, Vecino, De Arrascaeta; Suarez, Cavani
© Reuters
It has been a sloppy and scrappy opening 45 minutes from Uruguay in particular and Egypt may well be the happier of the two teams at the break, despite seeing less of the ball and creating fewer chances.
The ball made it all the way through to Uruguay's record goalscorer and he looked certain to score, but he somehow dragged his effort wide of the target and into the side-netting with the goal gaping.
Egypt have more than held their own - and on the whole have dealt with Cavani and Suarez very well - but they need more going forward with their only shot drawing an easy save from the keeper after 11 minutes. Could we see Mohamed Salah in the second half?
17 - Edinson Cavani had the fewest touches (17) of any Uruguay player in the first half, with none of those coming in the opposition's box. Restricted. #EGYURU #URU #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/IXlby59phP
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 15, 2018
© Reuters
The corner from the scramble which followed that free kick is met with a towering header by Gimenez, who plants his effort past the keeper and in! It is a brilliant header, and the Uruguay subs storm off the bench to celebrate with the centre-back!
© Reuters
Jose Gimenez's towering header in the final minute of normal time is all that separates Uruguay from an Egypt side lacking Mohamed Salah, although it could have been worse for the Africans but for a wasteful performance from Luis Suarez in particular.
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for the opening World Cup game of the day as Uruguay break Egyptian hearts with a late 1-0 win to get their campaign off to a winning start. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to check back in for reaction too.
Meanwhile, our coverage of the days' second game - Morocco vs. Iran - has just begun, so stick around for that!
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
