Saudi Arabia gave the first surprise of the Qatar 2022 World Cup. In a tight match they defeated the Argentine National Team in the first match of Group C of the World Cup. Most soccer fans in the world expected the South Americans to win, but the Arabs defeated the Argentines 2-1.
This is the fourth victory for Arabia in its six participations in the history of the World Cups, and it is emerging as one of the teams that can go to the second round of the tournament that is played in Qatar.
Minute by minute:
The moment awaited by many football fans has arrived. This Tuesday Argentina debuts Lionel Messi in the World Cup Qatar 2022 against the Saudi Arabian team. This will be the fourth duel between both teams. Argentina leads the window in games won: they won two, while the others were draws.
The last time they met was in a friendly match in 2012, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Argentina is one of the favorites to take the title in this World Cup, which will be the last for Lionel Messi.
The gaucho team is the second South American team to play in this World Cup (Ecuador did it on Sunday). And it is the favorite to take the game. The stadium is packed with Argentine fans. Let’s remember that nearly 40,000 gauchos came to Qatar to watch the World Cup.
Follow the minute by minute of the game here:
Minute 90+11: Ángel Di María tried to put a cross into the area that none of the Argentine players could connect. Arabia continues to defend the score.
Minute 90+9: Attack play by Argentina, which the Saudi defense cleared and sent for a corner kick. The Arabs are solid at the back so the Argentines have not been able to penetrate with risk.
Minute 90+8: Sixth change for Arabia. The number 13 comes out, while you entered the number 6 instead.
Minute 90+4: The goalkeeper from Saudi Arabia took one of his teammates up front in a defensive play. The partner was left lying on the ground, so it was necessary for the medical staff to enter to treat him. Meanwhile, the goalkeeper sat disconsolate and angry on the field for having hit his teammate.
Minute 90+1: Yellow card for the goalkeeper of Saudi Arabia for claiming the central judge of the party. The Saudi team had an attack play, but one of them was out of place, so the ball was in the domain of the Argentines.
Minute 90: The central judge of the game added eight minutes, which has surprised the fans who are inside the field.
Minute 87: Change in the Saudi team. Number 9 leaves and enters number 25; while he left on the 18th and entered Saudi Arabia on the 4th.
Minute 85: The number nine from Saudi Arabia threw himself in the middle of the field, accusing a cramp, for which the Slovenian judge of the match decided to stop the game so that he could be treated.
Minute 83: Attack play in favor of Argentina, which ended with a header in the area and the Saudi goalkeeper held it with his hands.
82nd minute: Aldubhamid received a yellow card after committing a foul in midfield.
Minute 79: Free kick in favor of Argentina. Lionel Messi stops in front of the ball, but he sends it over the goal of the Arabs.
Minute 77: Third change for the Saudi team. Al Shehri leaves and Al Ghanam enters in his place.
Minute 76: Foul in attack by the Saudis that benefits the Argentine team. Julián Álvarez received a blow from the number 12 of Arabia.
Minute 75: Auction of the Argentine team that did not find the goal.
Minute 74: second yellow card of the match. It was for Al Bulayhi, number five in the Arab team.
Minute 73: the goalkeeper from Saudi Arabia left the area in a one-on-one and cleared the attack ball in which Lautaro Martínez was looking to score the tie for Argentina.
Minute 72: Shot at Ángel Di María’s goal that the Saudi goalkeeper stopped. Then there was an attack play at the feet of Julián Álvarez that ended in an offensive lateral kick for the Argentines.
Minute 71: The Saudi Arabian team has become solid on the defensive end and shortened the lines in midfield. Argentina has less room to maneuver with the ball.
Minute 70: Nicolás Tagialfico leaves and “El Piojo” Acuña enters, who will play as a left back for the Argentine team.
Minute 66: First yellow card of the match. It was for Abdullah, from the Saudi team.
Minute 64: Arabia has been a very effective team in its attack. He has only kicked three times on goal, and scored twice; while Argentina has kicked seven times.
63rd minute: Shot by Nicolás Tagialfico that the Saudi goalkeeper cleared for a corner kick. The charge was made by Messi, but no player connected the ball in the area.
Minute 61: Emotions in the game have increased. Argentina tries to break the defensive line of Arabia, while the Saudis defend themselves as a block and try to counterattack and catch the Argentine defense badly.
Minute 58: Changes in Argentina. Coach Lionel Salonni changed three players. Leandro Paredes came on for Enzo Fernández. Instead of Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez entered, and Julián Álvarez replaced “El Papu” Gómez.
Minute 56: The Argentine players are going through a moment of anxiety in the match. They are not used to playing with the score against. There is disorder in the middle of the field.
Minute 53: ¡GOOOOOOOOOL DE ARABIA! Aldawsari scored the second goal for Arabia with a shot from outside the area.
Minute 52: Messi’s foul on the player al Sherhi, who was the one who scored the goal for the Saudi team.
Minute 50: The Arabian team advanced their lines and put more players in attack, which made the duel more even between the two teams.
Minute 47: Attacking move in favor of Argentina that ended in the seventh out of place for the Argentines in this tournament.
Minute 47: GOOOAAAL FROM SAUDI ARABIA! In a counterattack by the Arab team, Al Sherhir finished off with his left leg and tied the game.
The second half of Argentina’s duel against Saudi Arabia begins. The South Americans are ahead on the scoreboard.
The first period ends! Argentina prevails 1-0 over Saudi Arabia. The difference could have been wider, but the Argentines were out of place three times, which is why they had that number of goals disallowed.
Minute 45+5: Argentina dominated the ball, but the Arabs dominated the ball and the player Mohamed Kanno tunneled into angel di maria in the middle of the field, which encouraged the public that is in the stadium.
Minutes 45+3: First match change: out alfaraj with the number 7, while it enters with the 18 Al Abid. The player withdrawn from the field of play was the captain of the Saudis and came with discomfort.
Minute 45+1: Attack play in favor of Argentina. A cross to the area by “El Papu” Gómez that ended with an unsuccessful pass attempt by Ángel Di María into the center of the area, and ended up in the hands of the Saudi goalkeeper.
Minute 45: The match judge added 5 minutes of replacement.
Minute 44: Argentina has finished off five times, of which two have gone to the goal defended by the Arab team; while the Saudis have not had any dangerous shot on the Argentine goal.
Minute 42: attack play by Saudi Arabia that cleared the Argentine defense and sent a side kick. Later there was an action by Salem, on the 10th of Arabia, inside the area that ended up in the hands of Emiliano Martínez.
Minute 40: After the corner kick was taken, the ball was in play and in a one-on-one duel, “El Papu” was fouled. A free kick will be charged in favor of Argentina. Messi charged, the Arab defense got the ball out and Rodrigo De Paul kicked and sent the ball over the goal.
Minute 39: Arrival of Argentina to the area of the Argentines. A ball filtered by “El Papu” Gómez reached Messi, but a defender from the Arab team took the ball from him when Lionel prepared a shot with his left leg and sent the ball to a corner kick.
Minute 38: Alfaraj, the number 7 of Arabia, asks to enter the field again, after leaving due to a foul made by the Argentine players.
Minute 35: Foul by Saudi Arabia’s 10 on Alejandro “El Papu” Gómez in midfield. The Argentines have slowed down the game with the possession of the ball.
Minute 33: Argentina has 57% of the possession of the game, while Arabia has had 44%. Three goals have already been disallowed in the game for offside. One was from Messi and the other two from Lautaro Martínez.
Minute 31: out of place of angel di maria in an attack play by Argentina. He is the fifth out of place for the South Americans so far in the game.
Minute 29: Corner kick for Saudi Arabia that was not connected by any player inside the area, but which later ended in a foul by Rodrigo De Paul on one of the Saudi players. The free kick collection ended up in the hands of Emiliano Martínez.
Minute 27: Lautaro Martínez excited the Argentines by extending the lead with the second goal. However, the VAR decided that it was out of place. The goal was cancelled.
Minute 24: With the goal he scored Lionel Messi, he became one of the few players to have scored in four World Cups. He has done it in 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022. The Albiceleste captain entered the select group of players who have played five World Cups, the maximum number in the competition.
Minute 23: Attack play by Argentina that ends in an offside by Ángel Di María. It is the third offside for the Argentines in the first half of the game.
Minute 21: Goal by Lionel Messi that was annulled for being offside by the Argentine striker.
Minute 20: Attack play by Argentina. Alejandro “El Papu” Gómez finished off from outside the area, but the ball went over the goal of Saudi Arabia.
Minute 17: The Arabian team advanced their lines and controlled the ball near the area of the South American box. However, he could not generate a clear arrival facing the goal defended by Emiliano Martínez.
Minute 16: First arrival in attack of the Arabian team. A good combination in attack from the left zone, ended with a cross into the heart of the area that the goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez dominated without problem.
Minute 14: Foul by Alejandro “El Papu” Gómez on the number 12 of the Saudi Arabian team. Collection of the Arabs that the Argentine defense rejected.
13th minute: This was Leo Messi’s seventh goal in the World Cups, thus surpassing the six that Mario Kempes had scored, and he is one away from equaling Diego Maradona, who scored 8. The top scorer for the Argentines in the World Cups is Gabriel Batistuta with 10.
Minute 12: First time in the game that the ball reaches goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, from Argentina, after a shot from the Arab team.
Minute 8: ¡GOOOAAAL FOR ARGENTINA, LIO MESSI SCORES HIS FIRST GOAL IN QATAR!
Minute 7: After a call from the VAR, the Slovenian referee of the game whistled a penalty in favor of Argentina, for a foul on Leandro Paredes. Cobra Lionel Messi.
Minute 3: Foul over Lautaro martinez at half court after contesting a split ball at half court against one of the Saudi team players.
Minute 1: The match started with strong emotions. Argentina made its first arrival at the goal of Arabia, which ended up in the hands of the goalkeeper of the Arab team.
Start Messi’s debut game in the World Cup!
Argentina’s starting formation:
Emiliano Martinez
Molina
Romero
Otamendi
Tagliafico
By Paul
Paredes
“Papa” Gómez
Lionel Messi
Lautaro Martinez
say mary
DT: Lionel Scaloni
Saudi Arabia formation:
Al Owais
Abdulhamid
Al Bulayhi
Al Shahrani
Al Tambakti
Al Faraj
Al Malki
Cannon
To Brikan
Al Dawsari
Al Sheri
DT: Hervé Renard (FRA)
