Argentina vs Saudi Arabia LIVE: World Cup 2022 result and reaction as Saudi Arabia claim stunning shock win
Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia: Lionel Messi scored early on but a stunning comeback ensured an all-time great World Cup shock
Saudi Arabia beat Argentina to record one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history with a 2-1 win over Lionel Messi’s side thanks to a scintillating second-half comeback.
On his fifth and final quest for the only major trophy to elude him, the 35-year-old Messi scored a 10th-minute penalty in a dominant first-half display where he and Lautaro Martinez also had three goals disallowed for offside.
But Saudi Arabia, the second-lowest ranked team in the tournament after Ghana, threw caution to the wind at the start of the second half, charging at Argentina’s defence in front of a frenzied 88,012 crowd.
Saleh Al-Shehri squeezed in a low shot in the 48th minute while Salem Al-Dawsari curled in a scorching strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 53rd minute to leave Argentina and Messi looking utterly shell-shocked in the Group C opener. Despite plenty of possession after that, Argentina were unable to best Saudi Arabia, who were competing in their sixth World Cup but had never previously won an opening game.
Relive all the action with our live blog below:
Mexico 0-0 Poland
23 mins: It’s pinball in the Poland half until they manage to surge up the pitch, and Lewandowski goes down under a challenge just inside the Mexico box as the ball is fed into him...
No foul given. It seems the striker had failed to control the ball before being brought down, and he wasn’t going to get to it after that.
Mexico 0-0 Poland
20 mins: A Mexico cross is curved in from the right, and it bounces just in front of Glik, who hacks at it and sends the ball high into the air...
Szczesny is there to catch it, however, with no Mexico players around him.
Mexico 0-0 Poland
17 mins: Poland move the ball neatly from left to right then back into the centre, but Mexico dispossess them and come forward themselves!
They lose the ball deep in the Polish half but will look to pen in their opponents, who have a throw-in.
They briefly manage to before Poland break away!
The ball is crossed into Lewandowski outside the Mexico box, but it’s at an awkward height for the Barcelona striker, and he can’t bring it down.
Mexico 0-0 Poland
12 mins: Mexico have a corner out on their left flank now.
Vega plays it short, and the ball is worked back towards the halfway line before coming back to the corner.
A cross is looped in, and Moreno gets his head on it... but can only direct the ball over the bar!
He hits the turf and holds his back in pain, too.
Mexico 0-0 Poland
11 mins: Good defence from Mexico’s No 10, Vega, to ensure his side win a goal kick as Poland look to make a breakthrough along the byline.
Mexico 0-0 Poland
9 mins: Play is stopped after Glik and Montes clash heads while trying to win the aerial ball.
Thankfully both men are okay to continue.
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