Stuttering start for Uruguay: Saudi Arabia fights back for 1:1 in Miami

After around 23 minutes, the official ordered the first drinks break, during which both coaches were able to make tactical adjustments. Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa, who has been in charge since May 2023, however, did not seem to have found the right words in this phase. In the 35th minute, Darwin Núñez appeared at the five-meter box following a delicate cross from Matías Viña, but Mohammed Al-Owais in the Saudi goal cleared the ball with his head in front of the striker.

Al-Amri exploits Uruguay's defensive uncertainty

Shortly afterward, Fernando Muslera, who is appearing at his fifth World Cup between the posts, became the savior at the other end. In the 37th minute, the Uruguayan goalkeeper saved a shot from Al-Amri with a „Superreflex," as dpa noted. Just four minutes later, the veteran was beaten after all.

Following a corner from Musab Al Juwayr that was not cleared decisively, Al-Amri pounced on the rebound from close range and put the three-time Asian champions 1:0 up. The goal sparked euphoria among the „Green Falcons," who had already caused a sensation at the 2022 World Cup with a stunning victory against eventual world champions Argentina. Around three minutes after his opening goal, Al-Amri also received a yellow card after his knee struck Maxi Araújo's head.

Double substitution at the break as a wake-up call

The South Americans reacted angrily. Just before the half-time whistle, Federico Viñas headed against the right post from a central-right position following a free kick, but the goal remained empty. The two-time world champions went into the dressing room trailing 0:1, where Bielsa made a double substitution: Viñas and Núñez made way for Agustín Canobbio and other attacking players in the second half.

After the restart, Uruguay noticeably raised the tempo. The team now operated from a more attacking 4-1-3-2 system and pushed the Saudis deep into their own half. In the 51st minute, Viñas again tested the Saudi goalkeeper Al-Owais with a header, but he was able to deal with the ball. A direct free kick from Federico Valverde in the 66th minute also failed to deliver the desired result.

In the 60th minute, Manuel Ugarte had a great chance to equalize, but from a central-right position he only hit the left post. It was not to be the last missed opportunity for the Uruguayans. At the other end, Georgios Donis, the Saudi coach who was able to call on all 26 nominated players, brought on Nasser Al Dawsari for Musab Al Juwayr in the 63rd minute.

Ugarte hits only the post

In the 72nd minute, Bielsa brought on another attacking player in Nicolás de la Cruz for Ugarte, but a slight disruption in La Celeste's play was initially noticeable. Saudi Arabia defended passionately, tried to deliver needle-strikes through counterattacks, and produced further dangerous moments through Salem Al Dawsari, who chipped the ball into the penalty area.

The relief for Uruguay came in the 80th minute. A cross was inadequately cleared, Maxi Araújo didn't hesitate and hammered the ball into the net from 22 meters. For the left-back from Sporting Lisbon, who was born on February 15, 2000, and has a market value of 35 million euros, it was the decisive moment in an intense match.

Just one minute after his goal, Araújo was substituted, with Brian Rodríguez coming on. Saudi Arabia also reacted, bringing on fresh legs in Nawaf Boushal. Uruguay threw everything forward once more in the final phase, but no further goals came. In the 84th minute, Rodríguez missed the target from distance.

Bielsa expresses dissatisfaction

In the end, the result was a 1:1 that felt more like a defeat for the Uruguayans. „Heute hätten wir gewinnen müssen, wir haben es nicht gemacht," Bielsa said after the match. The Argentine was especially unhappy with the first-half display: „In der ersten Halbzeit hat die Mannschaft nicht mit Tempo gespielt, keine Fehler provoziert, keine Tiefe gehabt." He did not want to blame his team too heavily for the poor finishing in the second half. „Das ist Teil des Spiels," the coach said.

The draw saw Uruguay miss the chance to move to the top of Group H. Earlier, fellow favorites Spain had been held to a 0:0 by outsiders Cape Verde, meaning the group situation is now completely open. For the Saudis, who had qualified for the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada in bumpy fashion, the point is an enormous success.

In the Uruguayan qualifiers, Bielsa's team had finished fourth in the South American group with 28 points from 18 matches. From their last nine games, La Celeste, two-time Copa América champions, had suffered only one defeat – a 1:5 against the USA in mid-November, which was, however, heavy. Following the end of the international careers of striker stars Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani, a new generation around Darwin Núñez, once of Liverpool and now playing for Al-Hilal, had been expected to form for the South Americans.

Group H remains wide open

Despite picking up a point, Uruguay is already under pressure in the upcoming matchday. Another stuttering start could put the knockout stage target Bielsa set before the tournament in jeopardy early on. The Saudis, meanwhile, can dream of a second coup after 2022, even if the performance against Uruguay showed that Donis's team can be defensively solid when it matters.

In the end, it was a match dominated by certain headlines: the discipline of the Saudis, the referee's leniency, the hesitation of the Uruguayans. The „Sky Blues" will need to provide many answers in the coming days if they do not want to bury their dream of a successful World Cup already in the group stage.