Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari, center, celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup group C soccer match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. (AP)
November 22, 2022 might not be etched in the minds of the Argentina football fans with their team going on to win the World Cup in December. But it was one of the more famous days in the history of the World Cup when Saudi Arabia shocked Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the Group Stage of the 32-team global extravaganza.
The Asian team kicked off the Group C action at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a 2-1 comeback win against two-time champions Argentina which had brought an end Argentina’s 36 match unbeaten streak since losing the 2019 Copa America semifinal to Brazil.
Argentina took a first half lead thanks to captain Messi in the 10th minute after a VAR awarded penalty. The Latin American side had hit the ball in the goal three more times in the first half but were ruled offside, twice for a Lautaro Martinez goal and for another Messi left footed strike as Argentina went into the halftime with their one goal lead intact.
🇸🇦 When Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina and the world!#Qatar2022 | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/4M6qAH9emB
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 22, 2024
Saudi Arabia, who were the second-lowest ranked team in the tournament after Ghana, charged at Argentina’s defence early in the second half in front of a frenzied 88,012 crowd as Saleh Al-Shehri, who was just too quick for Romero, squeezed in a low shot to equalise in the 48th minute off what was Saudi Arabia’s first shot on target.
Five minutes later, Salem Al-Dawsari plucked the ball out of the sky near the left corner of the box, twisting and turning, before bending a shot into the far top corner curler from the edge of the box to complete the Asian side’s comeback.
After this match, Argentina would not lose another and went on to win the whole thing, getting crowned the world champions for the 3rd time after beating France on penalties in a thrilling final which ended 3-3 after Extra Time.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, would fail to maintain their momentum after the Argentina match and were knocked out from the Group stages with losses to Poland and Mexico.
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