It’s one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history. Argentina, four-time world champions and many people’s favourites for this World Cup, were on a 36 game unbeaten run, including their 2021 Copa America win, up against Saudi Arabia, the second-lowest ranked team in the competition (51st in the World).
La Albiceleste were expected to kick off what will surely be Lionel
Messi’s last World Cup with a win, and started well, their captain having a early chance saved before rolling in a ninth minute penalty. The former Barcelona man soon found the net once more, but his goal was disallowed for offside, as were two efforts from Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez before half time.
Argentina may have felt unfortunate not to be out of sight at the break, but having been the dominant team, very few would have predicted what came next.
Saudi Arabia, managed by Frenchman Hervé Renard, came out fighting in the second half. Saleh Al Shehri levelled the game in the 48th minute, with a low shot across goal and into the bottom right corner. The winner came five minutes later, from Salem Al Dawsari. After two poor attempted clearances from Argentina, the ball found Al Dawsari just inside the box on the left hand side. He beat three Argentinian defenders, and left a fourth on the floor before unleashing a rocket into the top right corner, etching his name, into Saudi Arabian, and world footballing history.
Argentina, who had 15 shots to their opponents 3 pushed and pushed for an equaliser, but couldn’t break the stubborn Saudi team who sat deep for the rest of the game. They defended with a togetherness, that might be more expected of a club team; every player in the squad plays in the domestic league, whilst nine of the starting eleven play for Al Hilal, who have won the title in each of the last three seasons. Goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais was exceptional, and substitute Abdulelah Al Amri cleared the ball off the line in the 92nd minute.
For manager Renard, the man who guided Zambia and the Ivory Coast to winning the African Cup of Nations in 2012 and 2015 respectively, another memorable moment in a stellar international career. For Saudi Arabia, a famous victory, and only their fourth ever at a World Cup. It’s so big that the King Salman announced soon after the game that Wednesday would be a public holiday, in celebration of the Green Falcons’ success.
Some are seeing the result in Tuesday’s earliest game as the biggest shock in World Cup history. It’s undoubtedly up there. One of the other contenders for that title would be Argentina’s opening game of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, which they lost to Cameroon, before going on to reach the final of that tournament.
The Rest of the day’s action
The first game of the day obviously stole the headlines, but there were three more games on Tuesday.
The second game of the day was in Group D, Euro 2020 semi-finalists Denmark were frustrated by an organised Tunisia side who were good value for their point. Both teams had a goal ruled out for offside, and Denmark striker Andreas Cornelius missed from a yard out. Christian Eriksen played every minute less than eighteen months after suffering a Cardiac Arrest on the pitch in his side’s opening game of the last European Championships.
In the other game in Group C, Mexico faced Poland. The game finished goalless in front of a packed majority Mexican crowd at Stadium 974, which gets it’s name from the number of recycled shipping containers it’s made from.
The one big moment in what wasn’t a great game, came just before the hour mark. Poland having been awarded a penalty after the referee looked at the pitchside monitor it was 34 year-old captain and talisman Robert Lewandowski who stepped up. For all that he has achieved, the Barcelona man who won two Champions Leagues with Bayern Munich, and prior to that played for Borussia Dortmund had never scored at the World Cup. And that is still the case, 37 year old Mexican goalkeeper Guilermo Ochoa, somewhat a World Cup cult hero, diving the right way to save the striker’s effort.
Finally, the holders, France, got their tournament underway by facing Australia, just as they did in Russia in 2018. Didier Deschamps’ side, who are without many stars including, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kanté, Christopher Nkunku and Karim Benzema, lost another player to injury in Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez being replaced by his younger brother Theo straight after the Socceroos went in front.
The goal was scored by left winger Craig Goodwin who connected with a cross from Matthew Leckie and fired in. Could a second big upset of the day occur? No, is the short answer. After conceding, France woke up and outclassed Australia. Goals from Adrien Rabiot, Kylian Mbappé and a brace from Olivier Giroud seeing them over the line comfortably. Giroud’s brace drawing him level with Les Bleus all-time top goal-scorer Thierry Henry on 51.
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