VOLGOGRAD: Mohamed Salah looks likely to start against Saudi Arabia in Volgograd on Monday as Egypt go in search of a first-ever World Cup win in a battle to avoid finishing bottom of Group ‘A’.

But Egypt’s 45-year-old goalkeeper Essam El Hadary may have to wait for an appearance off the bench to set a record as the oldest player ever to appear at a World Cup.

Egypt coach Hector Cuper said he would not tinker greatly with the starting XI that were dumped out of the tournament 3-1 by hosts Russia last Tuesday.

“The manager needs a reason to make changes,” Cuper told reporters before Salah took part in a full training session at the Volgograd Arena. “We are not going to change our style.”

An appearance for El Hadary would smash the age record set by Faryd Mondragon in Brazil in 2014. The Colombia goalkeeper was 43 years and three days old when he played against Japan in a 4-1 group stage win in Cuiaba.

But the 158-capped El Hadary said he did not know if he would play.

“I will be very happy if I participate and set the record,” he said. “But it is not certain.”

Cuper made it clear that he considered it important for Egypt’s future to register a first-ever win at a World Cup and he would field his strongest side. “We must bow out in style.”

Egyptian Football Association president Hany Abo Rida earlier denied media reports Liverpool had put pressure on them to leave out Salah, who scored 44 goals for the English Premier League club last season.

“No, we did not receive anything from Liverpool,” he said. “When the player is with the national team, it is for us to decide,” he said in Grozny, Chechnya, before the team travelled to Volgograd.

Salah was slammed to the turf by Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos in the Champions League final on May 26 in Kiev, causing a painful shoulder injury.

The talisman and national hero faced a race against time to be fit for the World Cup, sitting out the opening defeat against Uruguay.

He started and scored a late penalty in the 3-1 defeat to Russia but looked a shadow of the player who starred for Liverpool.

For Saudi Arabia, the match also offers the possibility of a first goal in the tournament in Russia.

Egypt, making their first World Cup appearance since 1990, had been tipped to advance into the knockout rounds after looking strong in the qualifiers.

But they narrowly lost to 1-0 to Uruguay in their opening match, which Salah missed as he recovered from his Champions League final injury with Liverpool. They then went down to Russia.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2018