The biggest question ahead of this game is will Mohamed Salah be fit? According to Egypt manager, Hector Cuper, he will! But, does this mean his team stands any chance against Uruguay on Friday afternoon? Find out in this Egypt vs. Uruguay match preview!
Egypt
The key man in this team is Mohamed Salah, but he’s not 100% fit for this duel. He suffered a shoulder injury in the final of the Champions League, after colliding with Sergio Ramos. That injury kept him out of the squad in the friendlies, but it seems he will feature on the World Cup. Whether he’s fit enough to play the entire game, still remains the question.
Of course, Egypt aren’t just about Salah, although he was their crucial player in the qualifiers. Speaking of qualifiers, this team got to the World Cup after finishing on the top spot in their group, above Uganda, Ghana, and Congo.
When it comes to their recent form, saying that Egypt were unimpressive would be an understatement. They lost three out of five matches they played in 2018. But, they did play well against stronger sides, such as Colombia, for example. That match ended without any goals.
Uruguay
The biggest threat to Uruguay’s goal comes from Mohamed Salah, there’s no doubt about that. But, do Uruguay have the defenders that could stop the pacey Liverpool forward? I think they do. First of all, they have an impressive duo of center backs – Godin and Gimenez.
Apart from these two Atletico Madrid’s players, Uruguay has plenty of other super-experienced defenders, including Coates from Sporting, Maxi Pereira from Porto, and Caceres from Lazio.
Apart from being firm in defense, Uruguay are extremely strong in the attack as well. Obviously, a team with Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani seems capable of outscoring any team on the planet, nonetheless Egypt. Actually, this team scored 32 goals in 18 matches in the qualifications.
Now that we’re on the subject of qualifiers, Uruguay finished on the second place in the South American qualifying group, behind Brazil. Cavani was the top scorer in the qualification campaign, with 10 goals to his name.
Possible Lineups
Egypt:
El Hadary – Hegai, Gabr, Fathy, Shafy – Hamed, Elneny, Bekhit – Salah, Sobhi, Mohsen
Uruguay:
Muslera – Godin, Gimenez, Pereira, Caceres – Vecino, Bentancur, Carlos Sánchez, De Arrascaeta – Suarez, Cavani
Egypt vs. Uruguay Match Prediction
Without Salah in the team, Egypt would be massive underdogs. But, even with the top Premier League scorer, they’re still not the favorites for winning this match. Actually, they’re very likely to be the losing side after the referee blows the final whistle.
Salah and his mates might give one or two, but even if that case, Uruguay would outscore them. That said, betting on Uruguay seems like a wise option, but if you want to spice it up, feel free to go with a big number of goals. I think Over 4.5 is a good betting tip for more adventurous bettors.
Egypt vs. Uruguay Betting Tips
- Uruguay @1.67 (bet365)
- Edinson Cavani to score @2.15 (MarathonBet)
- Over 2.5 Goals @2.35 (Unibet)
- Over 3.5 Goals @4.70 (Unibet)
- Over 4.5 Goals @10.50 (Unibet)