Uruguay strike late to beat battling Egypt as star man Mohamed Salah watches from the bench
South Americans leave it late in their World Cup opener as they move into pole position with Russia
A poor game looked likely to end in stalemate but with Uruguay cranking up the pressure late on, defender Gimenez rose to power a header into the top corner and break Egypt hearts.
Aside from Liverpool ace Salah failing to get off the bench with his shoulder injury, another major talking point was also off the pitch – large portions of empty seats in one main stand at the Yekaterinburg Arena were an embarrassing sight for Fifa and local organisers.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani had a couple of half-chances for Uruguay in the first half, the best made by himself when he juggled the ball and lashed it on the volley from outside the box, but it was deflected over.
Attacking partner Luis Suarez – in his first World Cup appearance since his biting ban of 2014 – was largely quiet in an unremarkable first period, doing his best work when he drifted between the lines of Egypt’s defence and midfield.
Marwan Mohsen played as a lone forward for Egypt, but with Salah missing and Uruguay skipper Diego Godin imperious, he hardly had a sniff.
One of the biggest cheers came after 30 minutes when the stadium screens showed Salah happily chatting away on the bench but that is where the birthday boy – who turned 26 on Friday – remained.
With Egypt coach Hector Cuper saying on the eve of the clash that Salah had recovered from the injury sustained three weeks ago in the Champions League final, Egyptians will be desperately hoping their talisman is back for the game with Russia on Tuesday, now a must-win.
The north Africans, contesting their first World Cup since 1990, were for the main part fairly comfortable in defence and Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny was a constant presence at the base of Egypt’s midfield.
He thumped the turf on 73 minutes when Elshenawy smothered at his feet, and seven minutes from the end the stopper was at it again, palming Cavani’s drive over.
Cavani then struck a post with a free-kick as Egypt held on with increasing desperation, before Gimenez’s dramatic late intervention.