WORLD CUP | Page 3 TENNISTENNIS| Page 7 Ronaldo seeks Federer opens encore against Halle campaign battle-hardened with victory Moroccans over Badene Wednesday, June 20, 2018 WORLD CUP Shawwal 6, 1439 AH Japan sink GULF TIMES Colombia in historic win for Asia SPORT Page 2 RUSSIA 3 EGYPT 1 Salah disappoints as hosts Russia hammer sorry Egypt Russia will be guaranteed a place in the last 16 and Egypt eliminated unless Saudi Arabia beat Uruguay today AFP Saint Petersburg he return of Mohamed Salah from injury couldn’t prevent World Cup hosts Russia virtually sealing their Tplace in the last 16 by beating Egypt 3-1 yesterday. An own goal by Egypt captain Ahmed Fathy opened the fl oodgates on a sodden night in Saint Petersburg before goals from Denis Cheryshev and Artem Dzyuba fur- thered Russian hopes they can defy pre- tournament expectations with a deep run into the latter stages. Salah did net Egypt’s fi rst goal at a World Cup since 1990 from the penalty spot after he had been hauled down 17 minutes from time, but it was too little, too late for the Pharaohs. Russia will be guaranteed a place in the last 16 and Egypt eliminated unless Saudi Arabia beat Uruguay today. Salah was making his fi rst appearance since injuring his left shoulder when falling heavily after being dragged to the ground by Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos in the Champions League fi nal just over three weeks ago. His presence in the starting line-up after sitting out Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Uruguay provoked a feverish excitement from the thousands of Egyptian fans that poured into the 65,000-capacity Saint Petersburg sta- dium to almost even up the numbers in the stands with the hosts. However, Russia had enjoyed a far more positive start in thrashing Saudi Arabia 5-0 to snap a seven-game run without a win Russia’s Artem Dzyuba celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with teammate Mario Fernandes in heading into the tournament and their great- Saint Petersburg yesterday. At bottom, Russian fans cheer their team in the stadium. er confi dence showed early on. Aleksandr Golovin and Cheryshev were Egypt’s Mohamed Salah looks dejected after the match against Russia yesterday. at the heart of most of Russia’s best moves against the Saudis and both came close Shorn of Salah at his best and facing the Three minutes later it was 3-0 as the tow- to breaking the deadlock with long-range hosts, Egypt had an uphill task as it was ering 6ft 4in (1.96 metre) Dzyuba demon- strikes. without gifting Russia the initiative as they strated quick feet to free himself inside the Salah looked far from the player who did in calamitous fashion at the start of the area before slotting low past a helpless Mo- scored 44 goals in his debut season for Liv- second-half. hamed El-Shenawy. erpool and former Chelsea left-back Yuri There appeared little danger when Roman The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system Zhirkov wasn’t afraid to test his fi tness with Zobnin’s off -target shot dribbled towards proved its worth to give Egypt a glimmer of a series of robust challenges. goal, but under pressure from Dzyuba, Fathy hope when referee Enrique Caceres had ini- But Zhirkov’s best piece of defending was a threw an outstretched right leg towards the tially awarded a foul outside the box rather last-ditch tackle that prevented Salah a sim- ball and turned it into his own net. than a penalty when Salah was pulled by ple tap in at the back post. Having got the bit of luck they needed, Zhirkov. It took 40 minutes for the Premier League’s Russia showed they have the quality to trou- Salah smashed the 10th penalty of the Golden Boot winner to have an attempt on ble more fancied nations with a brilliantly tournament into the roof of the net, but it goal as the ball fell kindly on the edge of the worked second that was swept home by was little consolation as Russia took a huge area, but even on his favoured left foot his ef- Cheryshev for his third goal of the World Cup step towards the knockout phase of a World fort curled beyond Igor Akinfeev’s far post. from Mario Fernandes’s cross. Cup for the fi rst time 32 years. BOTTOMLINE Worry for Brazil as Neymar limps off injured AFP Brazil relief over Neymar’s hairdo change on Monday, as the side returned to their Neymar grimaces Rio de Janeiro base in Sochi on Russia’s Black Sea coast. after hurting his ankle Rio de Janeiro: Neymar is famous for whether Neymar hadn’t been put off his Rodrigues confi rmed the problem con- during training yesterday. his stepovers, but it was his World Cup game by thinking too much about his cerned the Paris Saint-Germain star’s eymar hobbled out of a training hair do-over that really got Brazilians hair. ankle and not the foot he fractured in session on yesterday, setting talking yesterday. So there was national relief when the su- February, an injury that required surgery alarm bells ringing in the Brazil The world’s most expensive footballer perstar was photographed at the team’s and forced him to miss the rest of the club Ncamp as they prepare for their was underwhelming in Brazil’s 1-1 World Sochi base with the off ending noodles- campaign. second World Cup group game against Cup opener against Switzerland on feathers part of his hair snipped off . “As soon as he felt the pain he went to Costa Rica on Friday. Sunday. “After criticisms, Neymar gets rid of the physio. He will stay there for today “Neymar came out of training today His coif, however, featuring shaved sides his controversial haircut,” the celebrity and tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, and with a painful right ankle,” said Vinicius and a blond-dyed mop at the front, was news site popzone.tv wrote. will train as normal tomorrow,” added Ro- Rodrigues, a spokesman for the Brazilian unmissable. “It could be superstition or just coin- drigues. Football Confederation (CBF). The look sent Brazilian social media’s cidence, but Neymar has decided to Neymar only made his comeback from He put the the knock down to the ruthless meme machine into over- change his look again after the 1-1 draw,” the foot operation as a substitute in Bra- number of fouls Neymar received in Sun- drive, juxtaposing Neymar alongside the leading globoesporte site said. zil’s 2-0 friendly win over Croatia on June day’s 1-1 draw against Switzerland in Ros- everything from a lookalike llama to the But there could be more surprises to 3. tov-on-Don in Brazil’s opening Group E contents of a Pot Noodle or a packet of come. He scored in that game, and then made outing. angel hair pasta. Estadao newspaper reported that Ney- his fi rst start since the injury, also scoring, The 26-year-old could be seen grimac- “The Brazilian star went onto the field mar brought two hairdressers with him in a 3-0 win over Austria in Vienna just ing as he held his right ankle after feeling disguised as a cockatoo,” the Meia Hora to Russia: Nariko, who does the cutting, before Tite’s squad fl ew to Russia. pain as he took part in a light session for tabloid wrote on its front page. and Wagner Tenorio, who handles the Brazil are due to travel today to Saint those who had started that game. Many questioned, in all seriousness, colouring. Petersburg, where they will play Friday’s Neymar had not taken part in training game. Carlos Sanchez’s sending off in the third minute was the second-fastest dismissal in World Cup history 2 Gulf Times Wednesday, June 20, 2018 REPORT COL 1-2 JPN REPORT POL 1-2 SEN Japan sink 10-man Poland’s mishaps Colombia in historic help Senegal Colombia midfielder Carlos Sanchez becomes first player to claim fi rst win for Asia get a red card at Russia 2018 African win Senegal’s Mbaye Niang celebrates a goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Group H match against Poland at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow, Russia, yesterday. (AFP) Reuters Moscow enegal became the fi rst African team to win a match at the 2018 World Cup yesterday when they Sbeat Poland 2-1, helped by an own goal from a Brazilian-born Polish defender and a nightmare moment for goalkeeper Wojciech Reuters Szczesny. Saransk, Russia Thiago Cionek stuck out a leg and defl ected Idrissa Gueye’s wayward shot into the net to give apan upset 10-man Colombia 2-1 Senegal the lead with game’s fi rst in a dramatic match yesterday to shot on target in the 37th minute. Poland’s goalkeeper Wojciech become the fi rst Asian side to beat The second goal was even Szczesny reacts to a goal by South American opponents at the more of a gift for the Lions of Mbaye Niang of Senegal during JWorld Cup. Teranga, who were making their the match yesterday. (AFP) Asian teams had managed three draws fi rst appearance at the World in 17 matches against South American Cup since reaching the quarter- said coach Aliou Cisse, who cap- sides but the four-times Asian cham- fi nals in 2002. tained the side in 2002. pions made their extra man count after Poland midfi elder Grzegorz “You saw a very solid, very Colombia midfi elder Carlos Sanchez be- Krychowiak played the ball back compact Senegal team.