Mohamed Salah not risked in Egypt World Cup opener against Uruguay

Mohamed Salah was kept on the bench in Egypt's opening World Cup game against Uruguay on Friday.

The Liverpool forward had been battling to be fit for the start of the tournament ever since suffering a shoulder injury in his side's Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid three weeks ago.

On the eve of the Uruguay match in Yekaterinburg, which the South Americans won 1-0, Egypt coach Hector Cuper said Salah was fit, raising the Pharaohs' hopes that he would start the Group A clash.

But the line-up showed Marwan Mohsen up front, backed by Abdallah Elsaid and wingers Amr Warda and Mahmoud Trezeguet.

And the 26-year-old remained on the bench because Cuper did not want to risk further injury to the Liverpool star.

"He's certainly important, nobody can deny that, but you need a good team too -- and we are a good team," said Cuper.

"If Mo had been on the pitch, it may have been different but we can't know that."

He added: "He did not play today because we wanted to avoid risk or danger but I think that he will be fine for the next match.

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"Yesterday we were quite certain that he would play. At the end of training he was examined in depth and there was some doubt if he fell or was hit by another player.

"We thought perhaps he might get another injury and we want to avoid that so we decided not to take that risk.

"We want him on top form for Saudi Arabia and Russia."

There was also no place in the line-up for Essam El Hadary, the goalkeeper bidding to become the oldest player ever to appear in a World Cup, with Mohamed Elshenawy preferred.

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