LONDON: Saudi Arabia will not just get their World Cup campaign underway against Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium on Jun. 14, but the entire tournament after they were placed in Group A during yesterday’s draw in Moscow.
The worst case scenario was always that the Green Falcons would be thrown into a “group of death”. Thankfully that did not materialize with Juan Antonio Pizzi’s side set to meet the hosts Russia, South American giants Uruguay and fellow Arab nation Egypt.
Having been placed into Group A from Pot 4 they knew that they would be asked to play against the hosts in the opening game — the other teams having already been placed in positions three and four of the group which determined when side face the seeded country, in this case Russia.
Having qualified for the tournament for the first time since 2006, there was much anticipation ahead of the ceremony that took place at the Kremlin in Moscow.
That sense of excitement will not have disappeared after it was revealed that the side was placed in one of the better groups they could have found themselves in.
Russia, at 65th, are the lowest ranked side in the tournament, and while possessing talented players such as Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani Uruguay are not as daunting a prospect as facing Spain, who were the giants they could have faced from Pot 2.
Apart from the spectacle of being asked to open the tournament, the big talking point for Pizzi’s men is being landed in the same group as Egypt. Inspired by Mohamed Salah, The Pharaohs were definitely one of the stronger sides in Pot 3 and the all-Arab tie, set to take place in Volgograd on Jun. 25, will provide some juicy subplots — not least the fact that as the last group game one of the team’s chances of making it through to the knockout stages will likely depend on the result.
SAUDI ARABIA’S WORLD CUP FIXTURES
14 June, Moscow
Saudi Arabia vs Russia
19 June, Rostov-on-Don
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay
25 June, Volgograd
Saudi Arabia vs Egypt
