XtraTime Web Desk: Uruguayan Luis Suarez combatted to get past Egypt in their first match in this World Cup, but Saudi Arabia proved to be more agreeable opponents.
Suarez is all ready to accomplish his 100th Uruguayan cap as he proposes to make changes for the past World Cup felony against a Saudi Arabia side still reeling from annihilation in their opening fixture.
Luis was sent off for the handball that rebuffed Ghana a goal in the quarter-finals of the 2010 tournament in South Africa, keeping aside the suspended striker to watch from the sidelines as La Celeste lost 3-2 to the Netherlands and missed out on a place in the final.
In Brazil four years ago he was banned from all football activity for four months and suspended for nine international matches after biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in the group stage, leaving his team-mates to bow out at the hands of Colombia in the round of 16.
That notorious incident did not prevent him from moving from Liverpool to Barcelona, where the 31-year-old has flourished, and he has arrived at the tournament in Russia at the peak of his powers, in what is likely to be the last chance for the former Ajax attacker and several of his experienced team-mates, including Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin of Atletico Madrid, to make an impact on the biggest stage in football.
Their opponents in Rostov on Wednesday will be Saudi Arabia, who proved unexpectedly hapless in suffering a 5-0 thrashing against the relatively unfancied hosts in the event’s curtain-raiser in Moscow last week.
Uruguay was less impressive in their first fixture and needed Jose Gimenez’s 89th-minute goal to snatch all three points against Egypt, who did not risk the recovering Mohamed Salah.
Guillermo Varela was among Uruguay’s most consistent performers in the narrow victory in Ekaterinburg, and the Penarol right-back is not worried about Suarez’s below-par display.
“I see Luis [doing] well, with desire and enthusiasm,” he said.
“Although he could not convert [his chances against Egypt], we also have other colleagues who can do it.
“In this case, it was Josema [Jose Gimenez], but Luis is a great player.”
Former Saudi star Nawaf Al-Temyat was among those dismayed at the meek showing produced by the team against Russia in Moscow, a performance which even led to calls for coach Juan Antonio Pizzi to consider his future after just one competitive match in charge.
“We allowed them to impose their way of playing that differs from ours,” Al-Temyat said in an interview published by the Saudi Football Federation.
“We should not forget… the bitterness of what happened, but this should be addressed in a proper way that reflects the players, the administrative staff, and the national team.”