World Cup 2018 GROUP A FINAL GAMES: Uruguay 3-0 Russia; Saudi Arabia 2-1 Egpyt

The qualifiers from this group were already decided before this final set of games. The only thing at stake, who would top the group. And with Russia reduced to ten men early doors, the path was cleared for Uruguay, and they strode along it with ballsy confidence.

In the other game, Salah scored but Saudi soared to a rare World Cup win that will send their fans home happy, and give them confidence going into the 2022 World Cup which, should they qualify, will be much closer to home.

FINAL TABLE

They Finished 30th: EGYPT

Uruguay’s win over Saudi Arabia condemned Egypt to a fate they knew was coming.

Losing 2 of 2 is find your passports and pack your bags time. 

Yeah, OK, there’s another game to play against another side that’s on its way home, but all the hassle and joy of qualifying is lost. 

You’re out. 

Your star man played through injury, scored you a penalty, but Salah was never going to be able to do it all himself, even fully fit. 

And certainly not with Russia looking like one of the best teams in the tournament.

The Armchair believes the Egyptians will look back on World Cup 2018 and regard it as a tournament of If Only.

They Finished 31st: Saudi Arabia

Conceding 5 goals in your first game, in THE first game of the World Cup is never going to set you up for greatness, and Saudi Arabia go out after just 2 games

Not having seen much of either of their games, it’s hard for The Armchair to share an opinion. It just seems all too soon to be going home less than a week after the tournament started, but they have a chance to salvage some last game pride against Egypt.

World Cup 2018: Russia 3-1 Egypt

Oh for a fully fit Salah. He would have made a difference, no doubt. Whether it would have been big enough to alter this result is another matter.

Russia are truly rampant, as The Armchair suspected they might be when he made them Group Winners. An entertaining, attacking team, with no stand out stars as such. It’s working well. They are rising to the challenge and being backed by a passionate crowd.  They are virtually in the Round of 16, with Egypt out if Uruguay avoid defeat against Saudi Arabia.

The Armchair Predicted:

Russia 2-0 Egypt

10 and 7

World Cup 2018: Egypt 0-1 Uruguay

There’s a school of thought in tournaments that says if you want to win them, you don’t want to peak too soon.

On that basis, Uruguay could well win this, and Egypt have no chance. Because the latter played above themselves, even without their talisman, while Uruguay must consider themselves fortunate to emerge from this with anything other than a draw.

Salah could well have made all the difference, but the likelihood is he is still too fragile to be risked. And with his team-mates holding many people’s Group A favourites (not mine I hasten to add) the thinking must have been to save him for the last two games and get a point here.

A late winner scuppered that plan and was more than Uruguay deserved. The result is harsh on Egypt. And surely Uruguay can only get better…

The Armchair Predicted: Egypt 1-2 Uruguay

WHO WILL QUALIFY FROM World Cup 2018 GROUP A

GROUP A

Saudi Arabia

Uruguay

Russia

Egypt

Not SURE about this one? 

RUSSIA, as hosts, will have the pressure on to qualify. But the hosts always qualify from the group stage, right? It’s inconceivable that they won’t. But should the worst happen (which I don’t think it will) the show Moscow on. 

Mo Salah. The mere mention of the name will send pulses of fear through the defences of the other 3 teams in Group A. But as EGYPT’s star man, he risks being marked out of games. Such a talisman, could he steer his nation into dreamland? It’s possible.

Saudi Arabia - any mention of them and the World Cup cannot be allowed to pass without a link to one of the best goals ever scored in the competition. Take a bow Al Owairan and click this link to enjoy his incredible run and finish from USA ’94.

It’s getting on for 100 years since URUGUAY lifted the first ever World Cup. Surely they will see this draw as a group they can safely negotiate? They have the names and, providing Suarez can keep his cool, surely the only challengers for World Cup Group A winners will come from the hosts.

Betting for World Cup 2018 Group A:

MY PREDICTION:

World Cup GROUP A

1: RUSSIA

2: URUGUAY

3: Egypt

4: Saudi Arabia