The Latest: Danish roast adds to French hunger at World Cup

The Latest on the World Cup (all times local):

4:45 p.m.

France's players have fresh memories of Denmark coach Age Hareide criticizing them.

A month ago in Moscow, Hareide told a Danish newspaper the French were "nothing special," lacked leadership in the team, and mocked Paul Pogba's hairstyles.

France coach Didier Deschamps says his players "Can read. They can listen. They know very well what the coach said."

Asked if the comments added salt to spice up the game at Luzhniki Stadium, the France coach says: "Salt, pepper, vinegar, whatever you wish."

Deschamps says the comments are "not something particularly pleasant," though it's "not what's going to over-motivate" his players

Several changes are expected in France's lineup for a game it needs only to draw to ensure finishing top of Group C.

A point would also ensure Denmark advances to the round of 16.

___

4:25 p.m.

Saudi coach Juan Antonio Pizzi has made three changes to his lineup to face Egypt, giving a start to goalkeeper Yasser Almosailem.Both teams are aiming to avoid a last-place finish in Group A. The Saudis lost the World Cup opener to host Russia 5-0 and followed up with a loss to Uruguay. Egypt is aiming for its first ever win at the World Cup and will start with Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah up front and 45-year-old goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.

Lineups:

Saudi Arabia: Yasser Almosailem, Osama Hawsawi, Mohammed Alburayk, Salman Alfaraj, Hatan Bahbri, Yasser Alshahrani, Abdullah Otayf, Hussain Almoqahwi, Salem Aldawsari, Fahad Almuwallad, Motaz Hawsawi.

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

___

4:10 p.m.

With defender Jose Maria Gimenez out with a right thigh injury, Sebastian Coates has been given the start for Uruguay against Russia.

Lucas Torreira was given his first World Cup start, while Nahitan Nandez and Diego Laxalt were also included. Nandez played in the opening but was on the bench for the second.

Russia made three changes, with midfielder Alekander Golovin making way for Alexei Miranchuk. Igor Smolnikov is in for Mario Fernandes at right-back and Fedor Kudryashov is in for Aleksander Zhirkov at left-back.

Both teams are assured of qualifying for the knockout stage after winning their opening games against Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Lineups:

Russia: Igor Akinfeev, Igor Smolnikov, Ilya Kutepov, Sergei Ignashevich, Fedor Kudryashov, Denis Cheryshev, Yuri Gazinsky, Fyodor Smolov, Roman Zobnin, Alexei Miranchuk, Alexander Samedov.

Uruguay: Fernando Muslera, Sebastian Coates, Diego Godin, Diego Laxalt, Nahitan Nandez, Lucas Torreira, Rodrigo Bentancur, Luis Suarez, Matias Vecino, Edinson Cavani, Martin Caceres.

____

4:05 p.m.

Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary is to become the oldest player to take the field in a World Cup match.

The 45-year-old El Hadary was handed the honor for Egypt's last group match against Saudi Arabia. Both teams have already been eliminated after losing to both Russia and Uruguay in Group A.

Mohamed Salah is also included in the starting lineup by coach Hector Cuper as the Liverpool forward continues his recovery from a shoulder injury. There had been speculation ahead of the match that Salah would be rested.

___

3:45 p.m.

Peru may have more of the fans in the stadium when it faces Australia in Sochi.

There likely won't be a bigger family contingent than the one accompanying Australia goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who has 27 members of his family in Russia following the Socceroos during the World Cup.

Ryan, who plays for Brighton in the English Premier League, offered to pay the bill for whoever in his family wanted to come to Russia. He said half immediately said yes. And the range of ages is vast, from his grandfather in his early 70s to a cousin who is 3 years old.

Ryan says "They've been there along for the journey since I was born. They've witnessed every sacrifice and everything I've had to go through. Fortunately the life I lead now allows me to give back to them a little bit."

Ryan says being able to share the experience with "is something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life."

Australia must beat Peru and rely on France beating Denmark to have a chance of advancing to the round of 16.

___

3:15 p.m.

The Peru squad is coming to terms with an injury scare for forward Jefferson Farfan on the practice field that has overshadowed the buildup to their last Word Cup group game against Australia.

Farfan dropped unconscious and stayed motionless following a hard collision with a teammate during a practice session on the weekend

He was rushed to a hospital with head trauma and later cleared of serious injury, but will remain under medical observation at least for another day.

The practice session had to be cut short while team staff treated Farfan, and coach Ricardo Gareca says "it was a scare."

Gareca says "We have to recognize and be grateful for the immediate reaction from our medical staff and for the preparedness of Russia."

Peru forward Pablo Guerrero says "It was a delicate situation during those moments. Thank God that he is fine."

Farfan stayed in a Moscow hospital while the rest of the team traveled to Sochi for the game.

Peru, in its first World Cup appearance in 36 years, was eliminated after consecutive 1-0 losses in its first two games to Denmark and France.

___

1 p.m.

A Russian court official says a Brazilian World Cup fan has been arrested in St. Petersburg as part of an extradition request from Brazil.

Daria Lebedeva, a spokeswoman for the St. Petersburg city court, said Monday that Rodrigo Vicenti Dinardi was placed under arrest for two months. Brazil is seeking Dinardi's extradition on charges of armed robbery.

St. Petersburg city police declined to comment, but the Fontanka.ru news website said Dinardi was detained by Interpol on Friday after Brazil's victory over Costa Rica.

Lebedeva says Dinardi maintains his innocence and believes there has been a mix-up.

___

12:22 p.m.

With Russia set to play Uruguay in a heat wave, authorities in Samara say they'll be distributing free drinking water at the stadium.

The local government is warning temperatures could hit 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) at the Samara Arena around the time of the game Monday.

Some fans must walk nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) to the stadium after arriving on public transportation, and medical staff with water will be deployed along the route and by the stadium entrances.

Both Russia and Uruguay have qualified for the knockout stages before the game, which will determine who finishes first in Group A.

If there's a draw, host nation Russia would claim top spot due to a superior goal difference.

Let's block ads! (Why?)