Egyptian fans were hanging off every word, internet rumour and conspiracy theory that promised news of Mohamed Salah‘s return and finally their hero arrived on the scene at St Petersburg on Tuesday night.
The Pharoah tale turned out to be a nightmare however as Salah was powerless to stop the Russian red tide from stomping to a 3-1 victory – despite the late penalty that he won and scored.
Below, we take a close-up view of the Egyptian King’s performance.
KEY STATS
Goals – 1
Assists – 0
Shots – 4
Shots on target – 1
Key passes – 2
Passing accuracy – 79%
Dribbles – 0
Touches – 36
30-SECOND REPORT
Salah was closely monitored by Yuri Zhirkov from the get-go, though his injury-hit shoulder lasted the course through some fair but robust challenges.
There were a few slick trademark touches early on but the Liverpool star elected to stay in and around the hosts’ back-line for much of the first half, in clear hope that his team-mates would pick him out and he could turn on the after-burners.
As the goals flowed in, Salah progressively came deeper before Roman Zobnin tugged him down in the penalty box with 20 minutes to go and he expertly dispatched his spot-kick.
GOT RIGHT
Every time Salah got on the ball with a sliver of space his class compared to that of his team-mates was stark. It would have frustrated him that he never got a clear run on the glacial left-sided pairing of Zhirkov and Sergei Ignashevich but it was hardly his fault that Mohamed Elneny and Co were consistently ponderous in midfield.
He supplied a couple of neat passes to fellow forward Trezeguet in the first 45 and was only denied at the back post by an outstretched Zhirkov. After the break he set up a fine chance for Marwan Mohsen, who shortly after could have won a second penalty after being wrestled to the ground by Ignashevich.
GOT WRONG
Despite his glut of goals for Liverpool last season, there are games where Salah needs more than just the one chance to find the back of the net and sadly this was the case here.
The 26-year-old did not miss any gilt-edged chances but nor were his opportunities mere hit-and-hopes. His pirouette on the edge of the box in the first half fooled Zhirkov only for his curling shot to go wide. Then, with the scoreline still just 1-0, he latched on to a flick-on in the area before hesitancy cost him a clear pop at goal.
Would the very best have scored at least one out of the two? You’d have thought so.
KEY MOMENTS
42nd minute, SHOT: Salah shakes free of Zhirkov’s close attention but there’s not enough bend on his effort.
68th minute, CHANCE: Shows good balance and awareness to set up Mohsen, whose tame effort rolls wide.
73rd minute, PENALTY: After VAR intervenes, Salah is adjudged to have been brought down in the box and he lashes the penalty home expertly.
VERDICT
Considering he left Kiev in tears a little more than three weeks ago, Salah did not run out of puff or look particularly uncomfortable upon his return.
Instead it was his Egyptian colleagues that looked slightly out of their depth in the country’s first tournament for 28 years – particularly in midfield.
He was at the centre of the Pharaohs’ best moves and was emboldened as the game went on. It’s just a shame that by then the match, and indeed the World Cup, was out of reach.
RATING – 7/10
