Shearer: 'Salah deserves praise for even getting on the pitch'

The 'Pharaohs' went into Tuesday evening's fixture needing at least a point but faltered 3-1 despite the return of their talisman Mohamed Salah.

Salah played the full 90 minutes and scored the consolation penalty but ultimately lacked match fitness and sharpness after sustaining a shoulder injury during Liverpool's Champions League final defeat on May 26.

However, analysing the game for 'BBC', Shearer still offered high praise to the 26-year-old for even getting on the pitch. 

He said: "[Salah] was really struggling. His touch wasn't there, but once it's on the [penalty] spot you're all thinking you just hope he puts this in the back of the net.

"That's because it doesn't deserve to end like that for the last four or five weeks with the Champions League and the injury and the way this World Cup has been for him and his team. So pleased that he got his goal but it's been a tough time for him.

"For Salah, we've got to praise his character for him to even give it a go and you have to gamble and he obviously was only about 60 or 70 per cent fit but well done for giving it a go and he got his goal". 

Egypt will be eliminated from the competition if Uruguay pick up at least a point against Saudi Arabia, with the 'Pharaohs' still set to play the minnows in their final group match.