SPAIN began their Olympic challenge with a bore-draw against Egypt in Sapporo.
Dani Ceballos limped off injured as the two sides drew 0-0 to kick things off at the summer Games.
- RESULT: Egypt 0-0 Spain
- Egypt XI: Elshenawy; Eraky, El Wench, Hegazy, Galal, Fotouh; Ashour, Tawfik; Mohamed, Sobhi, Rayan
- Spain XI: Simon; Mingueza, Garcia, Torres, Miranda; Pedri, Merino, Olmo, Ceballos, Asensio; Oyarzabal
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
THAT’S ALL FROM SAPPORO!
Spain and Egypt remained goalless after a rather hapless Tokyo 2020 start at the Sapporo Dome.
The Furia Roja were the better side but also the unluckiest as they lost both Oscar Mingueza and Dani Ceballos to injury in the first half.
Mingueza limped off on 22 minutes following a rough challenge whereas Ceballos hobbled off during stoppage time due to a clash with Taher Mohamed.
The former Arsenal loanee created the game’s biggest opportunity on 27 minutes before his injury.
The Real Madrid ace rattled Mohamed Elshenawy’s post when his wonderful curling shot just missed the bottom left corner.
The Furia Roja struggled to create threats in the second half but came extremely close to a winner on 88 minutes when a superb cross from Bryan Gill down the left flank found Rafa Mir unmarked but his header went straight to Elshenawy’s hands.
Jesus Vallejo then picked up a loose header down the right wing and tried to score from a tight angle but his the side-netting during stoppage time.
Both teams will now wait and see what Group C rivals Argentina and Australia do in their upcoming encounter.
Thank you for following the action with SunSport, have a lovely rest of the day!
GETTY IMAGES PEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
AND THAT’S ALL IN SAPPORO!!!!!!
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
90+4 WHAT A CHANCE!
Spain miss another big opportunity!
Vallejo picks up a loose Egypt header down the right flank and gets a shot but sends it to Elshenawy’s side-netting!
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
90+3 SUBSTITUTION
Another change by Egypt manager Shawky as Ramadan replaces Sobhi
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
90+2 CHANCE!
Soler tries a shot from the edge of the box and forces an awkward save from Elshenawy
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
90 Four more minutes of stoppage time to go until full-time.
Can Spain score the winner or will Egypt hold on?
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
89 SUBSTITUTION
A late change from Egypt manager Shawky as Fouad replaces Eraky.
Galal also got booked earlier on for a very dangerous tackle in the build-up to Mir’s unbelievable chance
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
88 WHAT A CHANCE!
Spain miss an unbelievable chance to score the winner!
Gil delivers a magnificent cross from the left and finds Mir completely unmarked but his header goes straight to Elshenawy!
How did he miss that?!
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
85 Five more minutes to go and Egypt can taste that valuable point.
Spain are struggling to create threats without Olmo and Ceballos on the pitch
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
83 Urgency is starting to pile up for Spain as Simon is also moving a little forward.
But the Furia Roja are unable to break Egypt’s backline
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
80 We got 10 more minutes to go until full-time and Egypt are suddenly looking more comfortable.
Not because they are better, but because a draw would be a perfect result for them
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
79 Nothing comes of this as Mir’s shot gets deflected on Egypt’s wall.
Spain are really running out of time
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
78 YELLOW CARD
Egypt captain Hegazy gets booked for a dangerous challenge on the edge of the box.
The former West Brom ace tackles Miranda with both his legs in what could have been a red-card offence.
Great opportunity for Spain to open the scoring
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
77 Spain keeper Simon just made his first save, sort of…
The shot-stopper picked up a corner-kick from Egypt and basically touched the ball for the first time in the match
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
75 Egypt are slowly gaining ground but are unable to produce anything substantial.
Spain’s substitutes are not adding any spark, if anything the Furia Roja now look weaker
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
73 Still goalless in Sapporo and we haven’t seen any major opportunities.
Time is slowly running out for both teams, but Egypt are not too bothered as a draw could do wonders for them
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
70 This is a major opportunity for Gil, who stood out in last season’s La Liga campaign.
Here’s why the Spain star is highly-rated:
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
68 SUBSTITUTION
Spain manager De la Fuente is shaking things up with a triple change of his own.
Soler, Gil and Mir come on for Merino, Asensio and Oyarzabal respectively
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
65 CHANCE
Egypt show some life as Hamdy tries a left-footed curling effort that just misses Simon’s post.
Much better from the Pharaohs
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
63 SUBSTITUTION
Egypt manager Shawky shakes things up with a triple change.
Hamdy, Mohsen and Adel come on for Ashour, Rayan and Mohamed respectively
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
60 Egypt manager Shawky is urging his players to move forward.
No one has had it easier in this game than Simon back in Spain’s goal
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
58 We have yet to see a big chance in the second half but Spain are really knocking on Egypt’s door.
As it stands, the Pharaohs could only produce a goalscoring opportunity from a counter-attack or a set-piece.
Problem is they have yet to register any of those two
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
56 Spain’s midfield has been outstanding so far throughout the match.
Merino and Pedri have been completely running this game for the Furia Roja
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
53 PENALTY SHOUT
Merino is on the ground and Spain are protesting for a penalty after the Spaniard clashes with Hegazi.
But it seems like it is the Furia Roja ace that fouls the Egypt captain.
The former West Brom player doesn’t make things easier when he taps Merino with his foot on the ground thinking his counterpart is faking
SPAIN 0-0 EGYPT
53 Spain have been really good in feeding the wings with some fine balls from the centre.
That is a main issue Egypt’s backline and midfield need to fix
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
