Saudi Arabia nearly pulls off upset against Uruguay in 2026 World Cup opener

Saudi Arabia came close to a major upset against Uruguay in their 2026 World Cup debut, holding a 1-0 lead until the 80th minute before conceding an equalizer. The match, played at Miami Stadium, saw the Saudis nearly replicate their stunning 2-1 victory over Argentina in the 2022 World Cup. Uruguay managed to salvage a 1-1 draw, marking another opening match without a win for a South American team in this tournament, following Paraguay's 4-1 loss to the USA, Brazil's 1-1 draw with Morocco, and Ecuador's 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast. Saudi Arabia took the lead in the 41st minute when Abdulelah Alamri capitalized on a rebound from a header, outpacing Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. The second half saw Uruguay dominate possession, while Saudi Arabia defended resolutely and looked for counter-attacks. Goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais made numerous saves for Saudi Arabia, but Uruguay's Maximiliano Araújo eventually found the net in the 80th minute, also from a rebound. The draw leaves Uruguay to face Cape Verde next, while Saudi Arabia will play Spain on June 21.

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The Saudi team was on the verge of emulating what they did against Argentina in the debut of Qatar 2022, when they beat the albiceleste 2-1, but this time against Uruguay, at the Miami Stadium.