SALEM AL DAWSARI scored with the last kick of the game as Saudi Arabia ended their World Cup campaign with a consolation 2-1 win over Egypt in Group A.
Al Dawsari’s goal means that Saudi Arabia finish third in the pool on three points, while Egypt return home without a point to show for their efforts.
Essam El Hadary had earlier looked like claiming the spotlight after becoming the oldest player to ever play in the World Cup at the age of 45 years and 161 days and saving a first-half penalty from Fahad Al Muwallad.
No sooner had the veteran goalkeeper finished celebrating and he was facing another spot-kick, this time given after the lightest of shirt tugs by Ali Gabr on Al Muwallad.
Referee Wilmar Roldan was encouraged to review the decision by VAR, but the Colombian stood by his initial call giving Salam Al Faraj the chance — after a three-minute delay — to drill past El Hadary and pull his side level deep into first-half stoppage time.
Mohamed Salah — whose international future has been the subject of intense speculation this week — had earlier opened the scoring for Egypt with a fine finish, but Hector Cuper’s men finished empty handed thanks to Al Dawsari’s last-gasp effort.
After a largely anonymous opening 22 minutes, Salah produced a moment of quality that has been his hallmark for the past 12 months.
The winger took Abdallah El Said’s long ball in his stride and then seamlessly sent a deft lob over the onrushing Yasser Al-Mosailem with his second touch. Salah squandered an easier chance to score after breaking Saudi Arabia’s questionable offside trap, lacking his earlier composure and clipping an effort wide of the right-hand post.
More haphazard defending from Saudi Arabia gave Trezeguet two quick-fire chances before the break, but both times his whipped shots bent just wide.
Saudi Arabia had offered nothing in the way of attacking threat, but were given a chance of an unlikely leveller five minutes before the interval when Fathy was adjudged to have deliberately handled Yasir Al Shahrani’s cross inside the area.
El Hadary produced a stunning save to deny Al Muwallad, but his celebrations were cut short when a second penalty was awarded for Gabr’s tug on Al Muwallad’s shirt.
Al Faraj stepped up this time to fire past the veteran goalkeeper and draw his side level. After such a dramatic ending to the first half, it was hardly surprising that the second period started in more muted fashion.
Trezeguet planted a header narrowly wide just before the hour, while El Hadary did well to keep out efforts from Hussain Al-Mogahwi and Mohannad Aseri in quick succession.
Saudi Arabia substitute Kahraba fired straight at Al-Mosailem late on as the game appeared to be petering out to an uninspiring draw, but Al Dawsari ensured his side’s campaign finished on a high with a cool right-footed volley past El Hadary in the closing stages.
GOAL Saudi Arabia #KSA 2-1 #EGY
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 25, 2018
90+4mins Saudi Arabia win it in the fourth minute of injury time. Salem Al-Dawsari volleys the winner from a tight angle. #RTEsoccerhttps://t.co/BDmwG1BYez pic.twitter.com/OzScTkkE0H
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The rule changes can’t make the game any worse to look at as a neutral than the sh!te we have seen for the past number of years. Football is light years behind hurling. Maybe this is the start of the comeback for the big ball.
@Maureen: Why do people feel the need to compare 2 different sports. Might as well compare Gaelic football to horse racing, has about the same relevance
@Mel Roberts: So u can see no comparison between both sports even tho so is so many dual players out there? Need I explain that both use the same pitches, goal posts, scoring system etc?
Football is awful to watch, something needed to be done, the Gaa recognise that mainly because the crowds are turning up. Hopefully these rules are a step in the right direction and bringing it back to the glory days.
@Maureen: that’s where the comparisons end. The glory days? Of what? Catch and kick? Not even look for a man just kick it as hard and as far as you can to the other end of the pitch, watch some of the games from 70s and 80s, awful awful stuff
@Mel Roberts: The likes of Tyrone destroyed the game with their possession basketball sh!te and 15 men behind the ball crap. Thankfully the Dubs put a stop to that.
You do know it’s called football? U can pass the ball with the foot as well? At least the top brass can see this and not handpass/throw the ball from one end to the other.
@Maureen: oh yeah it was Tyrone that destroyed football wasnt it. Maybe a motion should be put before Congress to ban Tyrone from entering the championship for all their sins
@Mel Roberts: how does the likes of Tyrone just mean Tyrone? Ye might as well be banned, if there was a B Championship ye would have a good chance of winning that! Thank f#ck ye are finished. Mickey Harte should stick to the Eurovision ; )
@Maureen: We are finished, won back to back Ulster titles in 2016 and 17 and All Ireland runners up in 2018. Sure lump us in the second tier championship right enough there
Why did Meath players club names suddenly go as gaeilge?
Something had to be done . The garbage football of the last few years was un-watchable .