Lionel Messi now faces the possibility of a humiliating exit at his final World Cup after Saudi Arabia pulled off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history by defeating Argentina 2-1.
Saudi Arabia’s victory over Argentina was the first significant World Cup upset, and it completely opened up Group C. Argentina, one of the tournament favorites, scored first when Lionel Messi converted from the spot after Leandro Paredes was brought down. This goal appeared to put Argentina on the road to an easy opening victory and extend their 38-game unbeaten streak.
However, Lionel Scaloni’s team struggled to overcome the Saudi Arabian offside trap and was repeatedly denied by the offside flag. After the break, they appeared helpless as their opponents scored twice in quick succession, with Saleh Aldawsari scoring a spectacular goal after twisting to create space on the edge of the box and curling the ball home.
After then, Herve Renard’s team remained resolute, with goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais and center-back Hassan Altambakti in particular standing out for stopping Messi and company as Saudi Arabia hung on to earn a renowned victory. Below is a live recap of the game with in-depth analysis by Malik Ouzia of Lusail.