09:35 pm: That will be all from us. A disappointing campaign for both teams, but Saudi Arabia can leave with their heads held high.
FULL-TIME: Scenes in Volgograd! Oh wow. A dramatic end to this game. Saudi Arabia win at the World Cup for the first time since 1994, we believe. Egypt had completely switched off at the end, allowing Saudi Arabia to sneak up on them. Poor El-hadary looks miffed to finish on the losing side. Salah looks disappointed (or relieved that this is over? Cannot say) – a dismal campaign ends in defeat for the Pharaohs.
95th minute: GOALLLLLLLL, SAUDI ARABIA WIN THIS AT THE DEATH! Salem with a lovely finish after a very patient build-up down the right. They snatch third place away from Egypt.
90+4’: Final few seconds in the game here and Saudi Arabia make one final foray forward.
09:25 pm: The other match has finished with Uruguay win 3-0 against 10-man Russia to top Group A. As it happened, here.
– Uruguay still haven’t conceded a goal and finish as group-toppers
– Russia succumb to their worst World Cup defeat
– Suarez scores his second goal of the tournament
Into the stoppage time: Four minutes added on. Looks like Saudi Arabia’s brave efforts won’t be rewarded with a win today, unless they can come up with something late. Salem had made a great run down the left a while back, but Ali Gibar was solid in defence. The Asians can certainly hold their heads high.
9:20 pm: URUGUAY SCORE AGAIN.
Looks like we praised Russia for hanging on a little too early. Cavani nets Uruguay’s third from close range.
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After 85 minutes, Saudi Arabia 1-1 Egypt
Oh, is that a miss? No, Salah was offside when he played the ball through to his forward, who hit it straight at the goalkeeper when a late flag went up. Both sides still trying.
81’: Kahraba (meaning Electricity) comes on for Treziguet. Can he be the spark that Egypt want? 1-1. Fun fact: Kahraba was engaged to the keeper El-Hadary’s daughter, Shawda, for a brief while! The things we know...
09:14 pm: Meanwhile, Russia have kept the scoreline at 2-0 in the other game, to their credit. They have shown enough today to show that they will have a chance in the KO rounds too. Today was just not their day.
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After 77 minutes, Saudi Arabia 1-1 Egypt
Well, luckily for us neutrals, both sides have decided to go for a winner in the final few minutes here. Signing off strongly, we suppose. A very open match right now with both teams flowing forward. Egypt dominating now with a couple of quick corners. Salah with a lovely 360 in the move before that.
And El-hadary, meanwhile, is egging the crowd on with some passionate goading! What a guy. He’s making this game his own.
After 70 minutes, Saudi Arabia 1-1 Egypt
It is the El-hadary show in Volgograd! Two good saves in quick succession.
First a good header towards the goal by Hussain from a cross from the left flank, the veteran rises high and tips it over the bar for a corner. The delivery from the corner is vicious, and Asiri sends a powerful header on target at the far post, but El-hadary has moved well across and is on spot to palm this way. Most excellent, sir. Most excellent
66th minute: The game has now descended into just 22 players having a kickabout. We won’t be surprised if that’s how the game closes out, unless there is a goal soon.
This game, largely unremarkable otherwise, will likely be remembered fondly for one moment.
61st minute: Oh, a delightful little move forward by Saudi Arabia involving Salman and Salem who exchange sharp passes before the latter finds himself in a position to have a good, timely interception by Ali Gibar. Only one team trying to win this game.
55th minute: Amr Warda is brought down as Egypt have a free-kick in an interesting position. Salah to take it, low delivery headed away. Egypt soon come back and there is a good cross from the right but Trezeguet’s header is just wide. Egypt finally showing interest in this half. As it stands, Saudi Arabia finish last on GD.
54th minute: OH, chance Saudi Arabia! After a period of possession from Saudi Arabia (not sure Egypt have seen too much of the ball at all this half) Hegazy can only half clear a ball into the box, the ball reaches Salman who hits a first-time volley but it’s way over the bar.
48th minute: Oh, surely not a third penalty? Saudi Arabia have a corner which is delivered to the far post and worked back into the penalty spot – and Motaz goes down theatrically. Nothing doing says the ref.
46th minute: Second half underway. Will we see a winner in this game?
08:36 pm: A delayed start to the second half after a delayed ending. Here’s some reading for you. From struggling Argentina to professional England, what we learnt from the second round of fixtures...
In Samara, Uruguay are running riot: It’s been one-way traffic. Uruguay, for the first time, looked fluent and dangerous on the ball. Russia have a mountain to climb to get something out of this. They are a man down too.
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HALF-TIME, SAUDI ARABIA 1-1 EGYPT: A dead-rubber alright but a lively one at that in Volgograd. Drama in the first half stoppage time as Saudi Arabia are awarded a second penalty in the game and El-Hadary cannot produce his heroics again. Saudi perhaps deserved the goal but Egypt will rue all the chances they missed to go 2-0 up.
45’ + 6’ : GOALLLL, SALMAN!!! After a prolonged VAR referral, Salman takes the penalty this time and he sends the goalkeeper the wrong way and scores to his right. Pizzi with a fist-bump. First goal at this World Cup for Saudi Arabia.
First half stoppage time: PENALTY! Another penalty for Saudi Arabia. The referee has awarded KSA another way back into this game as Salem is deemed to have been fouled inside the box. There is a LENGTHHYYY referral here. But is there a shirt tug on the defender as well? Oh, the referee deems Ali Gabir has indeed fouled. PENALTY STAYS
41st minute: SAVED! WHAT A MOMENT! What a wonderful moment! Elhadary, the oldest man ever to play in the World Cup, saves the penalty. Fahad takes it, hit firmly enough but at a saveable right to the GK’s right, he dives and at full stretch gets a strong palm on to the crossbar! Sinks to his knees once the danger is clear! What a moment.
39th minute: PENALTY! Fathi handball gives Saudi a chance to equalise from the spot
38th minute: Saudi Arabia go close! A well-worked move down the left sees Salman take a shot from close to the penalty spot but it’s blocked away for a corner by Hegazy. Elhadary might have had it covered.
34th minute: Oh, that would have been some goal(s) by Trezeguet who goes close twice in quick succession! First an outside-of-the-boot volley from his left foot and then a curler with his right foot – both just wide. Egypt have gone close to a second goal a fair few times here in Volgograd.
07:56 pm: Meanwhile, another goal for Uruguay who are on their way to the top spot in this Group. They have doubled their lead in Samara, as Denis Cheryshev, scores at the wrong end for a change. Laxalt’s shot is driven but it deflects off Russia’s top scorer and wrong-foots Akinfeev. The goal is awarded to the Uruguayan no 17.
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24th minute: Oh, Salah! A delightfully timed run to beat Egypt’s high line and Salah finds himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper with plenty of time. Tries to chip one over the onrushing Almosailem, but it goes wide. A cheeky smile after that. He should have buried that away.
21st minute; GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL SALAH! Special goal from a special player! It’s been a difficult campaign for Egypt’s star forward but he has two goals in two matches (so far) to show for his efforts. The ball is stolen in the midfield and a long pass is sent in search of Salah, who brings the ball down very well and with the goalkeeper rushing out, lobs it over him from outside the box. Boss, finish.
21st minute: Neat work for a 45-year-old! Elhadary goes down well to save a shot-cross from the right flank. First time he’s tested and he does well!
After 19 minutes, Saudi Arabia 0-0 Egypt
Saudi Arabia are the ones camped in Egypt’s half and the Pharaohs’ only outlet is Salah, who has made a couple of good runs down the left but hasn’t created any chances. This match is being played between two teams who are yet to win at the World Cup and the quality, after a lively start, is reflective of that.
14th minute: A good run through the midfield by Villareal midfielder Salem, makes space for himself but shoots just wide. Something tells us if there is a 45-year-old at goal, Saudi Arabia should try and test him instead of shooting wildly over.
07:41 pm: Meanwhile, there has been a goal in the other game. Luis Suarez puts Uruguay ahead.
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11th minute: Trezeguet is freed down the left flank and he sprints to keep the ball in and hit a first time cross as well. It’s well-hit but no Egypt forward was in the box to make use of it. Saudi come forward.
After 8 minutes, Saudi Arabia 0-0 Egpyt
Egypt moving the ball sideways while Saudi Arabia are more keen to move it vertically. A corner for Saudi Arabia.
3rd minute: These matches tend to be scrappy sometimes, or be open-ended with both teams playing without a care. It’s started out as the latter, with both teams keen to attack.
07:30 pm: Only one of the two dead rubbers in the final round of fixtures. We have kick-off between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
07:25 pm: National anthem time... Saudi Arabia followed by Egypt.
Reminder that you can follow the other Group A game here.
07:20 pm: Ouch, Bleacher Report.
07:15 pm: At 45, Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary becomes oldest player in World Cup history. More on that World Cup record here.
07:06 pm: Is this the last time Mohammad Salah will play for Egypt? According to multiple reports, it could well be.
Unhappy with his image being tarnished by a political controversy in Russia, Mohamed Salah is reportedly close to quitting Egypt. With his team crashing out of the World Cup with two defeats in two games, news emerged that Salah was granted honorary citizenship of Chechnya by controversial strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.
Read more about that here.
06:56 pm: How about this for a stat?
06:45 pm: And Mohammad Salah starts as well, despite rumours that Liverpool had asked for him to be rested.
6:41 pm: This match might not be remembered for much years down the line... but a World Cup record has been created!
Oldest players at World Cup finals:
Essam El-Hadary: 45 years 161 days, Egypt v Saudi Arabia, 2018
Faryd Mondragon: 43 y 3 d, Colombia 4 - 1 Japan, 2014
Roger Milla: 42 y 39 d, Cameroon 1 - 6 Russia, 1994
6:30 pm: Hello all and welcome to The Field’s live blog of the match between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In the final round of 16 fixtures there are only two dead rubbers and unfortunately for these two teams, this is one of them.
Russia and Uruguay fight for top spot in Group A. Follow the live blog here.
The venue is the beautiful stadium in Volgograd.