The match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay has begun, with the Saudis holding possession for much of the early minutes, primarily in their own half.
As the game unfolds, Justin Kavanagh commented, “With Fede Valverde playing for Uruguay, there’ll be something worth watching in this one,”
Uruguay is choosing their moments to apply pressure. Even a strategist like Marcelo Bielsa wouldn’t expect his players to maintain peak intensity in the sweltering heat of Miami.
Kári Tulinius mused, “He’ll probably either score an outrageous first-half hat-trick or kick Bielsa’s bucket from under him as he gets subbed early. Hopefully, Uruguay will progress to a knockout meeting with France, where Real Madrid ‘teammates’ Valverde and Tchouaméni can really express how they feel about each other.” He further reflected on the Green Falcons’ performance in the 1985 Afro-Asiatic Cup against Cameroon, suggesting they could have posed a significant challenge to the South American side.
He inquired about Uruguay’s approach during that era.
“Counterfactual history is the last refuge of the nerd,”
Araujo’s corner kick from the left resulted in a header at the far post, which was safely collected by Al-Owais.
Leading the Saudi Arabia offense is Salem al-Dawsari, known for scoring the winning goal in their remarkable victory over Argentina four years ago.
Saudi Arabia kicked off the match from left to right, starting just four minutes late, allowing fans to settle in.
In the lead-up to the match, Andrew Goudie expressed his hopes for an unpredictable game, stating, “but I can’t help but wonder what a meeting between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the 1986 World Cup would’ve been like, when both were continental champions, which they would defend. It’s Saudi Arabia’s golden age of football, and though it’s not Uruguay’s, they had a serious team. “The Green Falcons did well in the Afro-Asiatic Cup against Cameroon in 1985, so they’d probably have given the South Americans a proper game. Anyway, they didn’t meet until early this century, so we’ll never know. Anyway, yes, football nerdery is a lonely pursuit.”
Ferguson’s charm has not gone unnoticed. His transformation from a fearsome figure to a more approachable personality has garnered him a warm reception.
- Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
- Belgium 1-1 Egypt
- Saudi Arabia v Uruguay (now)
- Iran v New Zealand (after this)
As the match progresses, the narrative turns to the recent history of Saudi Arabia’s football management. In late April, Hervé Renard was dismissed as head coach and replaced by Georgios Donis, who selected his squad without any prior match experience.
Renard, who was in charge from 2019 to 2023, led the team to an unforgettable victory against Argentina in the Qatar World Cup, but his return to the role in October 2024 was underwhelming. He remarked, “I’m hoping for a chaotic game,”
Under Marcelo Bielsa, Uruguay has adopted a dynamic 4-3-3 formation, prioritizing direct play that allows for high pressing and relentless pursuit of the ball. The team maintains an aggressive attacking strategy whenever they gain possession.
The past three years have been tumultuous for Bielsa, featuring a World Cup qualifying campaign that saw them finish fourth out of ten in the Conmebol standings, alongside a third-place finish in the 2024 Copa América.
There were high points, such as impressive victories over Argentina and Brazil in the latter half of 2023, but these were coupled with a disappointing streak of one win in 12 matches, during which they failed to score nine times. A 5-1 defeat to the United States in November raised serious doubts about Bielsa’s future, although faith was somewhat restored in March with draws against England and Algeria.
The Saudi Arabia lineup features a 4-4-2 formation with Al-Owais; Abdulhamid, Al-Amri, Altambakti, Al-Harbi; Abu Al-Shamat, Al-Juwayr, Al-Khaibari, Kanno; Al-Buraikan, Al-Dawsari.
For their part, Uruguay fields a 4-2-3-1 formation: Muslera; Varela, Cáceres, Olivera, Viña; Ugarte, Bentancur; M Araújo, Valverde, Viñas; Núñez.
The officiating will be led by Maurizio Mariani from Italy.
As the live coverage begins, it is worth noting that Saudi Arabia made headlines in their last World Cup, starting with a shocking victory over Argentina. A repeat against another South American powerhouse today would enhance their chances of advancing beyond the group stage for just the second time in their history, the first being their debut at USA 94.
Uruguay, on the other hand, missed that tournament and also failed to qualify in 1998 and 2006. However, their memorable run to the semi-finals in 2010 reminded the world of their footballing prowess. They have consistently made their mark in World Cups since then, often leaving behind a trail of controversy.
Regardless of the outcome, Uruguay’s matches are rarely uneventful, especially under the guidance of the strategic Bielsa.
The match kicked off at 6 PM EDT/11 PM BST/8 AM AEST.
Uruguay’s preparations faced challenges ahead of their first game against Saudi Arabia due to significant delays during their flight from Mexico.
The team was scheduled to depart from Cancún to Fort Lauderdale early Sunday afternoon, but complications regarding the aircraft caused their initial flight to be cancelled.
A second plane was arranged, but that flight also experienced delays, resulting in the team arriving late for their pre-match press conference at Miami Stadium.
Despite the setbacks, a typically reserved Bielsa downplayed the impact of the delays, stating, “with Núñez supplying most of the havoc. I’m also enjoying Duncan Ferguson’s punditry on ITV.” In contrast, captain José María Giménez described the situation as “That’s football … Saudi Arabia have qualified for the World Cup seven times, including twice with me,” and other officials from the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) expressed less restraint.
Giménez noted, “And there’s only one coach who has led them through both the qualifiers and the World Cup; that’s me, in 2022. At least there will be that sense of pride.”
You can read the full report below.
