The Latest: Salah returns, but Egypt-Russia goalless at half
By Associated Press
Jun 19, 2018 1:52 PM CDT
Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye, right, celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the group H match between Poland and Senegal at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Spartak Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)   (Associated Press)

MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on Tuesday at the World Cup (all times local):

9:48 p.m.

Russia and Egypt are goalless at halftime in their World Cup game in St. Petersburg.

Russia came close to scoring when Denis Cheryshev blazed a shot narrowly over the bar, while Mahmoud "Trezeguet" Hassan and the returning Mohamed Salah shot wide for Egypt.

Salah is playing for the first time since he injured his shoulder tangling with Sergio Ramos in last month's Champions League final.

With thousands of cheering Egyptians in the St. Petersburg Stadium, the game has felt at times more like a home game for Egypt than for Russia, whose fans ended the half chanting "we need a goal."

If Russia can earn its second victory of the World Cup, it would be on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stages. 

— Associated Press writer James Ellingworth reported from St. Petersburg.

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8:17 p.m.

Tunisia goalkeeper Moez Hassen has been ruled out of the World Cup after dislocating his left shoulder in the team's 2-1 loss to England on Monday night.

The team posted the injury update on Twitter, saying Hassen was the "victim of a dislocation" and the injury was "very bad news for Tunisia."

Hassen collided with England's Jesse Lingard in the 5th minute in the match at Volgograd. But he remained on the field and even pulled off a fine save — clawing away John Stones' header from Ashley Young's corner — before Harry Kane scored the opening goal for England.

Hassen was forced off in the 15th and replaced by Ben Mustapha.

The Tunisia squad has returned to its World Cup training base in Moscow to prepare for Saturday's Group G game against Belgium.

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8:05 p.m.

Suspended former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has arrived in Moscow for a World Cup visit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Blatter posed for photographs with people on his arrival at a five-star hotel downtown. The 82-year-old former FIFA president is banned from official football duty until October 2021 for financial misconduct during this 17-year rule.

This is Blatter's first public appearance outside his native Switzerland since July 2015 when the World Cup qualifying draw was conducted in St. Petersburg.

Blatter shared the stage that day with Putin and could meet with the Russian president this week.

The FIFA ban does not prevent Blatter attending games and he is expected to see Portugal play Morocco on Wednesday at Luzhniki Stadium.

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7:58 p.m.

Senegal has beaten Poland 2-1 to become the first African team to win at this World Cup. Senegal got a first-half own goal and a controversial second-half score by Mbaye Niang, who returned to the field from treatment and raced to intercept a backpass to Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

The Lions of Teranga, back in soccer's showcase for the first time since 2002, went ahead in the 37th minute when Thiago Cionek's attempted clearance of Idrissa Gueye's shot wrong-footed Szczesny. Niang doubled the lead in the 60th.

Grzegorz Krychowiak's, whose backpass led to Senegal's second goal, headed in a free kick in the 86th minute to end Poland's streak of five straight scoreless World Cup openers.

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7:50 p.m.

Egypt's lineup against Russia is unchanged except for one highly anticipated change: the return of Mohamed Salah in attack.

The Premier League's top scorer adds some much-needed bite to an Egyptian attack that struggled to threaten Uruguay in a 1-0 loss Friday.

Salah damaged ligaments in his left shoulder when he tangled with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos during last month's Champions League final playing for Liverpool.

On the other side, Russia winger Denis Cheryshev has promoted to the starting lineup after scoring twice as a substitute in Thursday's tournament-opening 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia.

The lineups:

Egypt: Mohamed Elshenawy, Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazy, Mohamed Abdelshafy, Ahmed Fathi, Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Elneny, Abdalla Said, Mohamed Salah, Mahmoud Hassan, Marwan Mohsen.

Russia: Igor Akinfeev, Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kutepov, Sergei Ignashevich, Denis Cheryshev, Yuri Gazinsky, Fyodor Smolov, Roman Zobnin, Alexander Golovin, Yuri Zhirkov, Alexander Samedov.

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7:38 p.m.

Senegal has scored again to take a 2-0 lead against Poland midway through the second half in Moscow.

Mbaye Niang rolled the ball into an empty net in the 60th minute after cutting between a Polish defender and onrushing goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to collect a long pass down the middle.

Niang had gone off with an injury moments earlier and was allowed back onto the pitch at midfield just in time to outrace the fullback to the ball. Szczesny spotted the danger before his fullback saw it and raced out of his box but couldn't get there before Niang.

Senegal seized the lead in the first half on an own goal by defender Thiago Cionek. He was attempting to block a shot from Idrissa Gueye but deflected it into the net. Szczesny had no chance.

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6:54 p.m.

Senegal leads Poland 1-0 at halftime in its return to the World Cup after a 37th-minute own goal by defender Thiago Cionek.

Mbaye Niang went around Lukasz Piszczek on the flank following a restart and centered to Sadio Mane. The Senegal midfielder passed to Idrissa Gueye, who sent a right-foot shot from the arc toward Wojciech Szczesny's far post. Cionek, near the penalty spot, lifted his right leg and deflected the ball past a wrong-footed Szczesny.

In a half of few chances, Senegal outshot Poland 5-2, and the Poles had a slight possession edge. Both teams seemed nervous at the start in Senegal's first World Cup match since 2002 and Poland's first since 1996.

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6:34 p.m.

Colombian singer Maluma has had about $800,000 worth of watches and other personal items stolen from his Moscow hotel while on a trip to support the Colombian team in the World Cup.

Russian news reports are quoting police as saying the items included numerous pieces of jewelry and other belongings. They said a thief apparently got into Maluma's room posing as his guest while the singer was absent.

The losses were estimated at more than 50 million rubles (some $800,000). An official probe is under way.

Maluma traveled to Saransk on Tuesday where Japan beat Colombia 2-1.

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6:10 p.m.

World Cup games have attracted this year's highest television audiences in Russia and Britain.

FIFA says 18.05 million viewers watched Russia's 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia live on Channel One in the World Cup opener. The audience does not include "digital streaming or out-of-home viewing."

A peak audience of 18.3 million in Britain watched England's 2-1 win over Tunisia on Monday, the BBC says — exceeding the numbers for last month's royal wedding.

The British public broadcaster says it got a record total of 3 million requests to stream the game on its website and apps.

The British audience topped the Russian figures despite having less than half the population.

The most intense viewing figure was in Iceland for its World Cup debut. Iceland's 1-1 draw with Argentina drew 99.6 percent of viewers who were watching TV on Saturday afternoon in the Nordic island.

The Argentina-Iceland game also had an average audience in China of 44.74 million viewers on CCTV5.

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5:55 p.m.

Neymar has left Brazil's training session limping because of pain in his right ankle.

The Brazilian federation quickly moved to play down the extent of the injury, however, saying it was just a precaution and the player would be back at practice on Wednesday.

The federation says Neymar had been in pain since the team's 1-1 opener against Switzerland, when he was constantly fouled.

Neymar limped as he walked away from the field in Sochi toward the dressing room, accompanied by a team doctor.

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5:40 p.m.

The first member of Japan's royal family to visit Russia in more than a century got to witness an historic World Cup result.

Princess Hisako of Takamada was at Mordovia Arena in Saransk on Tuesday to see Japan beat Colombia 2-1. It was the first time a team from Asia has beaten a South American opponent at a soccer World Cup.

Princess Hisako will stay through June 26 and is expected to attend Japan's two other group-stage matches against Senegal and Poland.

Her visit is the first such trip by a Japanese royal since 1916.

Russia and Japan have been locked in a territorial disagreement over four disputed islands, which the Soviet Union took at the end of World War II. It has kept the two nations from signing a peace treaty formally ending their hostilities.

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5:27 p.m.

Wojciech Szczesny was picked to start in goal over fellow Arsenal castoff Lukasz Fabianski as Poland returned to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years and opened against Senegal. Striker Robert Lewandowski was set to make his World Cup debut for Poland, and Jakub Blaszczykowski his 100th international appearance.

Forward Sadio Mane was making his World Cup debut for Senegal, which returned to the tournament for the first time since reaching the 2002 quarterfinals.

Lineups:

Poland: Wojciech Szczesny; Lukasz Piszczek, Michal Pazdan, Maciej Rybus, Lukasz Piszczek; Grzegorz Krychowiak, Piotr Zielinski, Jakub Blaszczykowski; Arkadiusz Milik, Robert Lewandowski

Senegal: Khadim N'Diaye; Moussa Wague, Kalidou Koulibaly, Youssouf Sabaly, Salif Sane; Idrissa Gueye, Alfred N'Diaye, Ismaïla Sarr, M'Baye Niang; Sadio Mane, Mame Biram Diouf

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4:53 p.m.

Japan has beaten Colombia 2-1 to become the first team from Asia to beat a South American country at the World Cup.

Colombia, quarterfinalists in Brazil four years ago, was reduced to 10 men early when midfielder Carlos Sanchez received a red card for handling a goal-bound shot in the third minute.

Shinji Kagawa slotted the resultant penalty to give Japan a 1-0 lead and, after Columbia equalized in the 39th via Juan Quintero's rolling but accurate free kick, Yuya Osako clinched it with a header off Keisuke Honda's corner kick in the 73rd.

Japan became only the latest side to defy what was supposed to happen in this World Cup joining Mexico, which upset Germany, Switzerland, which rallied for a draw against Brazil, and Iceland, which had a draw against Argentina.

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4:30 p.m.

Yuya Osako makes it 2-1 for Japan against Colombia at 73 minutes in Saransk, after a corner kick taken by Keisuke Honda.

The Japanese striker headed the ball inside Colombia's goalkeeper David Ospina's left post.

Colombia has been down to 10 men since defender Carlos Sanchez was sent off at 3 minutes.

In the 2014 World Cup, Japan lost 4-1 to Colombia in group stage.

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4:17 p.m.

Colombia's star midfielder James Rodriguez, the top goal scorer of the 2014 World Cup, has been brought into the match against Japan after 59 minutes.

Quintero scored Colombia's goal in the 39th minute after a low free kick that beat Japan goalie Eiji Kawashima.

Japan opened the score at 6 minutes with Shinji Kagawa from the penalty spot.

Rodriguez is one of Colombia's main hopes to at least equal their campaign four years ago, when the team reached the quarterfinals.

He will now try to help Colombia overcome the barrier of being down to 10 men after Carlos Sanchez was sent off at 3 minutes.

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4:07 p.m.

Colombia's Carlos Sanchez has a spot in the World Cup record books that he probably doesn't want.

Sanchez was issued the second-quickest red card in tournament history Tuesday, getting sent off just 3 minutes into Colombia's opening match against Japan. Referee Damir Skomina of Slovenia made the decision after Sanchez stuck out his arm to stop a shot that looked bound for the Colombian net at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk.

Shinji Kagawa converted the penalty to give Japan the lead, but 10-men Colombia leveled the score in the 39th minute with a free kick by Juan Quintero .

The quickest red card record still belongs to Uruguay's Jose Batista in the 1986 World Cup. He was sent off a minute into a goalless draw against Scotland for a harsh tackle on Gordon Strachan.

— Associated Press writer Mauricio Savarese reported from Saransk.

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3:47 p.m.

It's 1-1 in the World Cup game between Colombia and Japan after a dramatic first half. Japan defied expectations by taking an early lead over vaunted Colombia, which managed to equalize in the 39th despite being a man down since the opening three minutes.

Juan Quintero's rolling but well-place free kick from just outside the penalty area sneaked inside the post, just past the outstretched hand of diving Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.

Japan had the lead before six minutes had elapsed, thanks to a defensive breakdown that gave Japan two promising shots on goal.

David Ospina blocked the first while charging out of the net, taking him out of position for the rebound.

Carlos Sanchez tried to block the second, but committed a hand ball in the penalty area. Slovenian referee Damir Skomina did not hesitate to pull out a red card, meaning Sanchez was out for the remainder of Colombia's World Cup opener and its next game against Poland.

Japan capitalized on Shinji Kagawa's penalty shot, slotted cleanly inside the right post.

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3:05 p.m.

The first red card of the tournament has been awarded against Colombia midfielder Carlos Sanchez for handling a goal-bound shot in the area in the third minute against Japan. Shinji Kagawa slotted the resultant penalty to give Japan an early 1-0 lead in the World Cup Group H game. More than 10,000 Colombian fans at the stadium jeered.

Four years ago Japan was beaten 4-1 by Colombia also during group stage in Brazil.

Minutes earlier, the kick-off was delayed after the teams had to switch directions.

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2:40 p.m.

A road has flooded outside a designated World Cup hotel in Nizhny Novgorod, leaving cars half-submerged and forcing local residents to wade knee-deep through the water.

The flood, which followed a rain shower in the central Russian city, abated soon after.

The flood outside the Hampton by Hilton hotel, a designated media hotel for the tournament, also brought local news reporters to the scene. One television cameraman removed his trousers and waded through the water in his underwear while filming. A hotel staff member also had to get through the water to retrieve possessions from his parked car.

Nizhny Novgorod, about 400 milometers (250 miles) east of Moscow, will host four group games, one round-of-16 game and a quarterfinal at the World Cup. The Hampton by Hilton is on the other side of the city to the World Cup stadium.

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2:21 p.m.

Colombia coach Jose Pekerman has chosen not to start attacking midfielder James Rodriguez in the starting lineup for the side's World Cup opener against Japan.

The 26-year-old was the top scorer of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with six goals in five matches. But the Bayern Munich player has been hampered lately by a left calf injury.

Also dropped was defender Yerry Mina, who had been a mainstay in the lineup during qualifying but has not been a regular for Barcelona.

Recently hired Japan coach Akira Nishino is leaving Leicester City forward Shinji Okazaki out of the starting lineup. He practiced Monday for the first time in five days because of a right calf strain.

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1:20 p.m.

American Mark Geiger has been selected to referee Wednesday's World Cup match between Portugal and Morocco.

Geiger becomes the second American to referee at two World Cups after David Socha in 1982 and 1986.

A 43-year-old from Beachwood, New Jersey, Geiger worked three games in Brazil four years ago, becoming the first American to referee a knockout stage match when he officiated France's 2-0 win over Nigeria in the round of 16.

Geiger was the Video Assistant Referee for last weekend's game between Argentina and Iceland.

The U.S. is the only nation with two referees at the World Cup. Jair Murrufo has not yet been assigned a match.

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11:45 a.m.

Officials say an engine of a Russian plane carrying the Saudi Arabia team to a World Cup host city caught fire during landing.

Russia's federal agency for air traffic says in a statement that the Airbus airplane flying from St. Petersburg to the southern city of Rostov-on-Don landed safely Monday night and did not require any emergency procedures.

Tuesday's statement says the passenger plane landed with both of its engines working and the passengers disembarked normally. An investigation into the incident has begun.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation posted pictures of the players exiting the plan on Monday night and a statement on Twitter saying it "would like to reassure everyone that all the Saudi national team players are safe, after a technical failure in one of the airplane engines that has just landed in Rostov-on-Don airport, and now they're heading to their residence safely."

The Saudis were beaten 5-0 by Russia in the World Cup opener in Moscow last week and play Uruguay in Rostov-on-Don on Wednesday.

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11:30 a.m.

Brazil's jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has made his debut as a football pundit.

Behind bars, he wrote a column for Worker's Party TV on Monday criticizing Brazil's performance in the 1-1 draw against Switzerland at the World Cup

"Qualifying is one thing. The World Cup is different," da Silva wrote. "Switzerland was strong in defense, playing rough, and didn't allow Brazil to perform. They also stopped Neymar by fouling him again and again."

Da Silva, who started serving a 12-year sentence for corruption in April, can still appeal his conviction, which he calls politically fabricated.

Da Silva also said "the first week of the World Cup proves Germany is not unbeatable and, among the top players, only Cristiano Ronaldo proved his value."

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10:40 a.m.

Senegal President Macky Sall is in Russia and will attend his country's World Cup game against Poland in Moscow.

Senegal is returning to the World Cup for the first time since a thrilling run to the quarterfinals on its tournament debut in Japan and South Korea in 2002.

The president's office says Sall will watch Senegal play Poland at Spartak Stadium on Tuesday during a three-day visit to Russia . He'll also hold meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Sall was invited to the World Cup by FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura, who is from Senegal.

Senegal is Africa's last chance of getting a win in the first volley of games at the World Cup. Egypt (1-0 to Uruguay), Morocco (1-0 to Iran), Nigeria (2-0 to Croatia) and Tunisia (2-1 to England) all lost their group openers.

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The item on the first red card was corrected to show the penalty was awarded in the 3rd minute.

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