World Cup 2022: Saudi Arabia beat Argentina 2-1 in Group C opener

A bold and brilliant Saudi Arabia pulled off one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history as they came from behind to stun two-time winners Argentina in a fantastic Group C opener in Lusail.

Ranked 51st in the world, Saudi Arabia could have been done and dusted in the first half as Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Argentina had three goals ruled out for offside.

But the Green Falcons flipped the game on its head in a stunning 10-minute period after half-time, Saleh Al Shehri levelling with a low effort and Salem Al Dawsari firing them ahead to spark pandemonium in the stands.

Having shown their ruthlessness at one end, they demonstrated a ruggedness at the other, holding a stellar Argentina front line at bay to secure only their fourth World Cup win and throw the group wide open.

Lionel Scaloni's Argentina came into the tournament among the favourites, on the back of a 36-game unbeaten run that included winning the 2021 Copa America.

They now have it all to do to keep alive their hopes of a first global triumph since 1986 and give Messi a fitting ending to what is very likely his World Cup swansong.

They face Mexico on Saturday, while Saudi Arabia take on Poland.

'Seismic' for Saudi Arabia but don't count Messi out

One of the World Cup's biggest shocks

Well, who saw this coming?

Argentina were among the elite teams heading to Qatar - tipped by many to go all the way, with a star-studded squad as robust at the back as they are ruthless in attack.

In 2018 in Russia they were chaos personified, chopping managers before the event and starting XIs during it before going out in the last 16.

But under Scaloni they got their act together in a serious way. They do not concede many and score lots - in five games before the World Cup they kept five clean sheets and netted 16 times - and had not tasted defeat since losing to Brazil in the final of the 2019 Copa America.

That run is now over and in spectacular, humbling fashion.

In contrast to their opponents, few saw Saudi Arabia making a dent at this tournament. Only Ghana of the 32 nations in attendance rank lower. They had three victories before this, but none of them bigger.

At full-time, in wild scenes, their players dropped to the turf, prayed, hugged and screamed into the sky as the bench charged on to the pitch to join them, weaving their way past disconsolate Argentina players.

Luck was ridden, especially during a first half when the writing was on the wall early through Messi's penalty - awarded after Leandro Paredes was wrestled to the turf. Had Messi or Lautaro Martinez timed their attacking runs better it could have been 4-0 at the break.

Having remained competitive, Saudi Arabia seized their moment in spectacular fashion.

Al-Shehri found the bottom corner of Emi Martinez's net, Salem Al Dawsari found the top - both ruthless finishes, each a hammer blow to Argentina that left them floored.

They came at Saudi Arabia and threatened in increasingly desperate search of a way back in, but on every occasion a man in green stretched out a limb to tackle or threw a body in to block.

Keeper Mohammed Al Owais plucked balls out of the air and dropped on shots aimed his way. When he was absent, Abdulelah Al Amri was there to head a goalbound effort off the line.

Eight minutes were added at the end and nearly 14 were played, most of them in the Saudi Arabia half and accompanied by screams of excitement and anguish from the crowd.

The final whistle confirmed the unbelievable and sent Herve Renard's side into delirium. They are the first non-European team to beat Argentina at the World Cup since Cameroon in 1990.

If Argentina need something to cling to, it is that they reached the final following that opening defeat 32 years ago. If you are going to lose group games, it is often better to do so first up, giving yourself the games to recover.

They are, though, now arguably the victims of the biggest shock in World Cup history, up there with England's loss to the United States in 1950 and West Germany losing to Algeria in 1982.

Biggest World Cup shocks according to analysis by Nielsen Gracenote
Result	Year	Chance of victory for winning team
Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina	2022	8.7%
USA 1-0 England	1950	9.5%
Switzerland 1-0 Spain	2010	10.3%
Algeria 2-1 West Germany	1982	13.2%
Ghana 2-0 Czech Republic	2006	13.9%

As for Saudi Arabia, the last three teams to beat Argentina at the World Cup have gone on to win the competition (Germany in 2014, France in 2018) or reached the final (Croatia in 2018).

Few will be predicting that, but they now have a great chance to match their effort of 1994 by reaching the last 16.

Player of the match

Abdulelah Al AmriAbdulelah Al Amri

with an average of 8.92

Argentina
Saudi Arabia

Argentina

Squad number10Player nameMessi
Average rating
5.29
Squad number23Player nameE Martínez
Average rating
4.70
Squad number22Player nameLa Martínez
Average rating
4.45
Squad number11Player nameDi María
Average rating
4.10
Squad number13Player nameRomero
Average rating
4.03
Squad number25Player nameLi Martínez
Average rating
4.00
Squad number26Player nameMolina
Average rating
3.98
Squad number17Player namePapu Gómez
Average rating
3.83
Squad number7Player nameDe Paul
Average rating
3.79
Squad number5Player nameParedes
Average rating
3.78
Squad number19Player nameOtamendi
Average rating
3.71
Squad number3Player nameTagliafico
Average rating
3.66
Squad number9Player nameÁlvarez
Average rating
3.52
Squad number24Player nameFernández
Average rating
3.25
Squad number8Player nameAcuña
Average rating
3.23

Saudi Arabia

Squad number4Player nameAbdulelah Al Amri
Average rating
8.92
Squad number2Player nameSultan Al Ghannam
Average rating
8.89
Squad number6Player nameMohammed Al Burayk
Average rating
8.88
Squad number25Player nameHaitham Asiri
Average rating
8.86
Squad number11Player nameSaleh Al Shehri
Average rating
8.86
Squad number10Player nameSalem Al Dawsari
Average rating
8.80
Squad number18Player nameNawaf Al Abid
Average rating
8.78
Squad number21Player nameMohammed Al Owais
Average rating
8.73
Squad number13Player nameYasir Al Shahrani
Average rating
8.66
Squad number5Player nameAli Al Bulayhi
Average rating
8.62
Squad number12Player nameSaud Abdulhamid
Average rating
8.61
Squad number17Player nameHassan Tambakti
Average rating
8.60
Squad number7Player nameSalman Al Faraj
Average rating
8.59
Squad number9Player nameFeras Al Brikan
Average rating
8.59
Squad number23Player nameMohammed Kanno
Average rating
8.58
Squad number8Player nameAbdulelah Al Malki
Average rating
8.55

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Argentina

Formation 4-4-2

23E Martínez
26Molina
13RomeroSubstituted forLi Martínezat 59'minutes
19Otamendi
3TagliaficoSubstituted forAcuñaat 71'minutes
11Di María
7De Paul
5ParedesSubstituted forFernándezat 59'minutes
17GómezSubstituted forÁlvarezat 59'minutes
10Messi
22La Martínez

Substitutes

1Armani
2Foyth
4Montiel
6Pezzella
8Acuña
9Álvarez
12Rulli
14Palacios
15Correa
16Almada
18Rodríguez
20Mac Allister
21Dybala
24Fernández
25Li Martínez

Saudi Arabia

Formation 4-1-4-1

21Al OwaisBooked at 90mins
12AbdulhamidBooked at 82mins
17Al Tambakti
5Al BulayhiBooked at 75mins
13Al Mohammadi Al ShahraniSubstituted forAl Buraykat 90+9'minutes
8Al Wahbi Al MalkiBooked at 67mins
9Al BrikanSubstituted forAsiriat 89'minutes
7Al FarajSubstituted forAl Abidat 45+4'minutesBooked at 88minsSubstituted forAl Amriat 88'minutes
23Kanno
10Al DawsariBooked at 79mins
11Al ShehriSubstituted forAl Ghannamat 78'minutes

Substitutes

1Al Rubaie Al Yami
2Al Ghannam
3Madu
4Al Amri
6Al Burayk
14Otayf
15Al Hassan
16Al Naji
18Al Abid
19Bahbri
20Al Obud
22Al Suweiti Al Aqidi
24Al Shardan Al Dawsari
25Asiri

Referee:: Slavko Vincic
Attendance:: 88,012

Match Stats

Home TeamArgentinaAway TeamSaudi Arabia

Possession: Home69%; Away31%

Shots: Home15; Away3

Shots on Target: Home6; Away2

Corners: Home9; Away2

Fouls: Home7; Away21

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Argentina 1, Saudi Arabia 2.
90'+14'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Argentina 1, Saudi Arabia 2.

90'+11'
Post update
Attempt saved. Julián Álvarez (Argentina) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Ángel Di María with a cross.
90'+10'
Post update
Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Salem Al Dawsari.
90'+10'
Post update
Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Saud Abdulhamid.
90'+9'
Substitution
Substitution, Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Al Burayk replaces Yasir Al Shahrani because of an injury.
90'+4'
Post update
Offside, Saudi Arabia. Salem Al Dawsari tries a through ball, but Mohammed Kanno is caught offside.
90'+3'
Post update
Corner, Saudi Arabia. Conceded by Marcos Acuña.
90'+2'
Booking
Mohammed Al Owais (Saudi Arabia) is shown the yellow card.
90'+1'
Post update
Offside, Argentina. Rodrigo De Paul tries a through ball, but Nicolás Otamendi is caught offside.
90'+1'
Post update
Attempt missed. Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Marcos Acuña with a cross following a corner.
90'+1'
Post update
Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Hassan Tambakti.
90'
Post update
Ángel Di María (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'
Post update
Foul by Haitham Asiri (Saudi Arabia).
89'
Post update
Ángel Di María (Argentina) wins a free kick on the right wing.
89'
Post update
Foul by Yasir Al Shahrani (Saudi Arabia).
89'
Substitution
Substitution, Saudi Arabia. Haitham Asiri replaces Feras Al Brikan.
88'
Substitution
Substitution, Saudi Arabia. Abdulelah Al Amri replaces Nawaf Al Abid.
88'
Booking
Nawaf Al Abid (Saudi Arabia) is shown the yellow card.
84'
Post update
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Argentina) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ángel Di María with a cross.