Saudi Arabia Stuns Uruguay, Then Survives Late Pressure to Earn Valuable Point

By Rene Vidal

MIAMI, Florida — Saudi Arabia came within minutes of securing one of the biggest victories of the opening round before settling for a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Uruguay in a dramatic Group H clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Backed by an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais, the Green Falcons frustrated the South American giants for long stretches and looked destined for all three points until a late Uruguayan equalizer changed the story of the night.

The match began cautiously, with Uruguay controlling possession but struggling to create meaningful chances against Saudi Arabia's disciplined defensive shape.

Marcelo Bielsa's side registered the first shot on target through Maxi Araújo, but Al Owais was alert from the opening minutes and comfortably handled the effort. Uruguay continued to see more of the ball, yet Saudi Arabia remained organized and dangerous on the counterattack.

As the first half progressed, the Green Falcons grew in confidence.

Abdulelah Al Amri nearly opened the scoring in the 38th minute when he met a corner at the back post, only to be denied by veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. The warning signs were there, and Saudi Arabia capitalized moments later.

In the 41st minute, Musab Al Juwayr delivered an excellent corner toward Saud Abdulhamid at the far post. Muslera reacted to the initial header but could only parry the ball into a dangerous area. Al Amri was quickest to react, pouncing on the rebound and firing home from close range to send the Saudi supporters into celebration.

The goal gave Saudi Arabia a deserved 1-0 halftime lead and left Uruguay searching for answers.

Bielsa responded aggressively after the break, introducing fresh attacking options as Uruguay increased the tempo. The pressure steadily mounted, with Federico Valverde, Federico Viñas, and Maxi Araújo all finding more space in advanced positions.

Saudi Arabia's resistance was nearly broken in the 60th minute when Manuel Ugarte unleashed a low strike from outside the box that beat Al Owais but crashed against the post.

Despite the pressure, Al Owais continued to deliver one save after another, frustrating Uruguay's attackers and keeping his side in front.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 80th minute.

Viñas forced another save from Al Owais with a powerful header, but this time the rebound fell kindly for Maxi Araújo, who calmly guided the loose ball into the net to bring Uruguay level at 1-1.

With momentum now firmly on Uruguay's side, it appeared only a matter of time before Bielsa's team completed the comeback.

Instead, Al Owais produced two more spectacular saves.

The Saudi goalkeeper denied Nicolás De la Cruz from close range in the 91st minute before delivering perhaps his best moment of the night shortly afterward, diving low to push away a goal-bound effort from Valverde that seemed destined for the bottom corner.

Those heroics ensured Saudi Arabia escaped with a point as the final whistle arrived after a tense eight minutes of stoppage time.

For Uruguay, the draw will feel disappointing after dominating large portions of the second half and generating several chances to win the match. For Saudi Arabia, however, the result represents another memorable World Cup performance and further proof that they remain capable of challenging football's traditional powers.

With Spain unexpectedly held by Cape Verde earlier in the day, Group H remains completely open after the first round of matches. Saudi Arabia and Uruguay each leave Miami with a point, knowing the battle for qualification is only just beginning.