First sensation in this 2022 World Cup, Tuesday, November 22, with the victory of Saudi Arabia against Argentina (2-1). The Albiceleste entered the game well at Lusail, but a resounding return from the Saudis at the start of the second half won everything. The Argentines, presented as favorites for this World Cup, kneel down at the start.
Argentina will therefore remain as the first giant of world football to bite the dust in this World Cup in Qatar. If England and the Netherlands did not miss their debut on Monday, the South American selection fell from a very high position on Tuesday in Group C against Saudi Arabia, at the Lusail stadium.
Against a team against which they had never lost before, the Argentinians had the favor of the predictions. Against players who almost all play in the national championship, coach Luis Scaloni had brought out the heavy artillery in attack with Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria and of course captain Lionel Messi. It was also the number 10 who quickly reassured his team by opening the scoring with a penalty obtained by Leandro Paredes (10th).
In the process, Lautaro Martinez believed to make the break twice. But the video assistance first invalidated the first goal for offside. And the linesman didn’t need the technology to see that the striker was offside again on the second. At the break, Argentina led 1-0 quite logically, after a rather closed first 45 minutes.
Al Dawsari signs an anthology goal
We still don’t know what Hervé Renard, the French technician at the head of the Faucons, told his players. Still, back on the pitch for the second act, the Saudis overthrew the Argentine ogre. Well launched in the area against Cristian Romero, Saleh Al Shehri easily got rid of the defender before deceiving Emiliano Martinez with the left foot (48th).
Salem Al Dawsari immediately capsized a whole people by giving the advantage to Saudi Arabia with a splendid goal in the top corner (53rd). The Argentinian goalkeeper could not do anything in front of such a jewel. KO standing, the Albiceleste has tried to regain his senses and go forward. Scaloni made a triple substitution and Argentina went on the attack.
But nothing worked. Against Saudis braced in their half of the field and eye-catching (six yellow cards from the 67th minute), the South Americans struggled without managing to find the fault. It’s a huge performance for Saudi Arabia, which offers the scalp of a selection expected as favorites, like Brazil. The next match of the band to Messi, against Mexico on November 26, will be crucial. Saudi Arabia takes control of Group C pending the Mexico-Poland meeting on Tuesday.