Russia vs. Egypt
- When: Tuesday 19 June
- Kick-off time: 7pm
- Where: Saint Petersburg Stadium
- TV channel: live on BBC One
A late defeat against Uruguay broke Egyptian hearts in their opening match, but Pharaohs fans will be boosted by the news that star striker Mohamed Salah is set to start against Russia in St Petersburg.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Salah sat out the Uruguay clash as he was recovering from a shoulder injury. The Egyptian Football Association told the BBC: “He was fit to play against Uruguay but the coach did not want to take the risk.”
The hosts opened their World Cup campaign with a thumping 5-0 win against Saudi Arabia. Despite the superb start and potential qualification to the knockout stages, goalkeeper and captain Igor Akinfeev isn’t getting over-excited. He said: “We only think of every next step. We don’t think what can be next. If we did, we could fall on the next barrier. We don’t think ahead and don’t want to do it.”
Team news
While Salah will be fit for Egypt, Russia striker Alan Dzagoev has been ruled out of the group stages after injuring his hamstring during the match against Saudi Arabia. All 22 other Russian players trained ahead of the Egypt clash.
Russia vs. Egypt predicted starting XIs
How the two teams could line up in St Petersburg, according to Fifa.com:
- Russia (4-3-2-1): Igor Akinfeev; Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kutepov, Sergei Ignashevich, Yuri Zhirkov; Roman Zobnin, Yury Gazinsky, Daler Kuziaev; Aleksandr Golovin, Denis Cheryshev; Fedor Smolov
- Egypt (4-4-2): Mohammed El Shenawy; Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazy, Ahmed Fathi, Mohammed Abdelshafy; Tarek Hamed, Mohammed El Neny, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Abdullah Al Said; Mohamed Salah, Marwan Mohsen
Group A results and fixtures
- Russia 5 Saudi Arabia 0
- Egypt 0 Uruguay 1
- 19 June: Russia vs. Egypt (7pm, BBC)
- 20 June: Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia (4pm, BBC)
- 25 June: Uruguay vs. Russia (3pm, ITV); Saudi Arabia vs. Egypt (3pm, ITV4)
-
Quiz of The Week: 23 – 29 AugustQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
The Week Unwrapped: Could robotic dogs help clear landmines?Podcast Plus, what can we learn from a new approach to urban renewal? And how much power rests with political spouses?
-
Six major costs to cut as children go back to schoolSchool supplies can be pricey but there are ways to keep costs down
-
Mason Greenwood: footballer arrested on suspicion of rape and assaultSpeed Read Man Utd confirm the striker will not train or play until further notice
-
Handball: swapping bikini bottoms for tight pantsSpeed Read Women competitors will be required to ‘wear short tight pants with a close fit’
-
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second comingSpeed Read Last week, Manchester United re-signed the forward on a two-year deal thought to be worth more than £400,000 a week
-
Bank holidays and boycotts: are MPs trying to jinx England?Speed Read Declaring a bank holiday would be ‘tempting fate’, says Boris Johnson
-
Weightlifting: Olympic Games set for transgender firstSpeed Read New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will make history at Tokyo 2020
-
UK plans to expel spies from hostile states amid Russia-Czech explosion rowIn the Spotlight Proposed foreign agent registration scheme will crack down on Russian and Chinese activities
-
Sport shorts: Champions League expansion plan to be agreedSpeed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Joachim Low and the Lions women’s team
-
Sport shorts: Sturgeon slams Rangers fans over title celebrationsSpeed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Keely Hodgkinson and Bryson DeChambeau
