Saudi Arabia 1–1 Uruguay: Maxi Araújo's late strike denies the Green Falcons a famous win
Saudi Arabia took a deserved lead in the closing stages of the first half when defender Abdulelah Al-Amri struck in the 41st minute, turning the ball home from close range after a corner to silence a Uruguay side fancied to win Group H. The Saudis held that advantage into the break and defended resiliently, with goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais in inspired form.
Uruguay pressed hard after the interval and finally broke through with ten minutes to play, Maximiliano Araújo rescuing a point in the 80th minute after Al-Owais had initially kept his side ahead. Al-Owais was the standout performer, making nine saves as Uruguay piled forward, but he could not prevent the equaliser, and the spoils were shared in Miami.
Key moments
- •Abdulelah Al-Amri put Saudi Arabia ahead in the 41st minute, finishing from close range after a corner.
- •Maximiliano Araújo equalised for Uruguay in the 80th minute to rescue a point.
- •Saudi keeper Mohammed Al-Owais made nine saves to frustrate Uruguay.
- •Al-Amri was booked shortly after his goal, in the 44th minute.
- •The draw left both Group H sides sharing the points in Miami.
Timeline
Match facts
- Miami, Florida, USA
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- Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Match report generated from publicly available sources. Facts are drawn from the sources below.