Egypt, Saudis play for pride

Volgograd, June 24: Both Egypt and Saudi Arabia will aim to exit the World Cup with a win when they meet in their final Group A match here on Monday. Both teams have lost their opening two matches and have no chance of advancing to the next stages.

With their talismanic forward Mohammed Salah struggling with his fitness following a rather hurried return from a left shoulder dislocation, Egypt have struggled in the two matches they played so far.

Playing without Salah in their campaign against mighty Uruguay, the Egyptians gave a good account of themselves in a 0-1 loss to the two-time World Cup winners.

Salah's presence in Egypt's second group match against Russia failed to lift the seven-time African champions as they crashed to a 1-3 defeat.

The Saudis have fared no better. They were thrashed 0-5 by hosts Russia in the tournament opener, which prompted authorities back home to call for punishments and sanctions against the players.

The Saudis displayed markedly better in their second match before conceding a narrow 0-1 loss to Uruguay. IANS