Saudi Arabia comes back to beat Egypt 2-1 as both teams exit World Cup
By Pan Pylas
Mon., June 25, 2018
VOLGOGRAD, RUSSIA—The oldest person to play in a World Cup match gave up a pair of goals Monday, allowing Saudi Arabia to beat Egypt 2-1 in a game between two teams that had already been eliminated.
Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who is 45, took the field for his team’s final group match to set the record.
Saudi Arabia's Salem Aldawsari celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Group A match between Saudi Arabia and Egypt on Monday. Saudi Arabia finished Group A in third place with three points, while Egypt was last after losing all three of its games. (Darko Vojinovic / The Associated Press)
Although he gave up the two goals, he also saved a penalty in the first half.
Salem Aldawsari scored with almost the last kick of the match for the Saudis, shooting from a tight angle inside the Egypt penalty area and poking the ball past El Hadary.
Mohamed Salah had put Egypt ahead in the 22nd minute when he deftly controlled a long ball from Abdalla Said that split the Saudi defence and then lobbed goalkeeper Yasser Almosailem.
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It was Egypt’s first goal in open play at the World Cup since 1934.
Salman Alfaraj got the Saudis level with a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time after Ali Gabr brought down Fahad Almuwallad in the area. The decision was confirmed after a video review and the penalty was taken in the sixth minute of injury time. Read more: Uruguay tops Group A after 3-0 victory over Russia Colombia win knocks Poland out of World Cup
Almuwallad had earlier missed a chance to equalize when El Hadary saved his penalty. The veteran goalkeeper dived to his right and flicked his left hand up to push the shot onto the bar before it was cleared.
El Hadary was unable to repeat the feat when Alfaraj lined up against him at the end of the half, going the wrong way and having no chance.
El Hadary also made a series of good saves in the second half to deny Saudi Arabia, notably in the 69th minute when he tipped a header from Hussain Almoqahwi over the bar. A minute later, he parried away a goal-bound header from Muhannad Asiri.
El Hadary overtook Faryd Mondragon as the oldest person to play at the World Cup. The Colombia goalkeeper was 43 when he came on as a late substitute in his team’s 4-1 victory over Japan four years ago at the World Cup in Brazil.
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