Hosts Russia roared to a 3-1 win over Egypt in St Petersburg on Tuesday evening to put themselves on the brink of the World Cup last 16.
Ahmed Fathi's calamitous own goal (47) broke the deadlock, before Denis Cheryshev (59) and Artem Dzyuba (61) struck twice in three minutes to settle the Group A clash and move Russia onto a maximum six points after two games.
Mo Salah, who was included from the start, pulled a goal back from the penalty spot with 17 minutes left, but it will take an unlikely series of results to prevent the hosts from progressing while Egypt's tournament is probably over after two straight defeats.
After a pedestrian first half in which each side managed only one shot on target, Russia's breakthrough came in farcical circumstances within two minutes of the restart.
Mohamed El Shenawy needlessly opted to punch instead of catch Aleksandr Golovin's cross and Roman Zobnin's follow-up shot from the edge of the area was sailing wide until Fathi put out a leg and steered the ball across his own goalkeeper and into the goal.
The referee put his finger to his ear to ask VAR to check for a push by Dzyuba on Fathi, but there was no reprieve for the full-back and the goal stood.
The second followed 12 minutes later when Alexandr Samedov found the overlapping run of full-back Mario Fernandes, who reached to the byline and pulled the ball back to Cheryshev eight yards to strike his third goal of the tournament.
Cheryshev was one of the heroes of Russia's opening win 5-0 against Saudi Arabia and another, Dzyuba, rattled in the third three minutes later.
The striker chested down a high ball on the edge of the area, bullied his way past Ali Gabr with ease and tucked the ball into the corner.
Salah struck back for Egypt when he earned and scored a penalty in the 73rd minute. Referee Enrique Caceres initially awarded a free-kick when Zobnin tugged the Liverpool forward, but VAR confirmed the foul continued into the area and Salah lashed the spot kick high into the net.
Salah now has little hope of demonstrating his talents in the knockout stage, unlike Russia's players whose progress from Group A is virtually guaranteed with maximum points and a commanding goal difference.
Russia's final game in Group A is against Uruguay in Samara next Monday afternoon (3pm). Egypt face Saudi Arabia in Volgograd at the same time.