The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia clash that sees the first glimpse of the two big South American powerhouses and whether this will be a big tournament for Lionel Messi. Oh, and Saudi Arabia are playing.
With so many games and so little time, our Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game. We watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia Match Centre.
KICKOFF – TUESDAY 22ND NOV – 13:00 (QATAR) 10:00 (UK) 20:00 (AEDT)
Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia Match Review
Saudi Arabia have shocked Argentina and world football with a 2-1 over one of the competition heavyweights in the opening game of Group C. Argentina wasted opportunities, and not even Messi could save them from the desperation of the Saudi defence.
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
2′ Min Well that didn’t take long. No goal but some sharp attack from the big three for Argentina. Angel Di Maria to Lautaro Martínez and then Lionel Messi. A sign of things to come or will the Saudi Arabian team take away all the fun?
6′ Min First corner to Argentina, which fizzles out. But they do earn a free kick on the edge of the box to the left not long after. Lionel Messi lines it up. But just as he is about to kick it, the referee runs off to check VAR. It appears he’s been tipped off about some shenanigans in the box waiting for the free kick. And…….
PENALTY TO ARGENTINA
What’s even better than a close free kick? A free penalty courtesy of VAR, for not much. It is Lionel Messi who lines up to score. An early chance to take the lead and he…..rolls it in to the left oh so casually.
10′ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL TO ARGENTINA
Lionel Messi makes it 1-0 with a casual penalty kick from the spot. The penalty is debatable, the scoreline is not.
ARGENTINA 1 SAUDI ARABIA 0
14′ Min Free kick just outside the box for Saudi Arabia for their first big chance of the game. It doesn’t amount to much, but the Saudis do get a shot on goal a few minutes later, but the deflected shot isn’t too hard to deal with for the Argentina keeper Martinez. It was in the middle of a good little five minute spell of attack from Saudi Arabia in the Argentine half.
21′ Min Saudi Arabia’s high defensive line is causing Argentina a few issues, having being caught offside for a few potential attacks. And a second goal for Messi too, which was marginally offside.
26′ Min That previously mentioned high line means it feels like the game is being played on a 30 metre wedge on the middle of the field.
27′ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL TO ARGENTINA
Lautaro Martínez gets the second Argentine goal not long after Lionel Messi had one ruled out. Martinez gets a beautiful through ball on the edge of the box and he easily chips the approaching keeper to score.
After a minute of celebrating, VAR is called in to ruin the party. And……….
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TO ARGENTINA
VAR has ruled offside and the score remains Argentina 1-0. VAR sucks.
31′ Min A free kick close to the Argentine penalty area for an ordinary tackle presents Saudi Arabia with an attacking opportunity and Nicolás Otamendi an opportunity for a bit of a running battle with Saudi counterpart. Nothing comes from either.
32′ Min Another Argentina attack is halted by…..another offside flag.
34′ Min Lautaro Martínez scores again, and then doesn’t. At least they don’t wait for VAR bullshit to call this one offside. Geez, if Argentina can sort out the offsides this could be about 12-0.
41 Min A free kick to Argentina on the edge of the box again, after questionable contact it has to be said. No goal this time, as eventually Rodrigo De Paul blasts a reound well over the crossbar.
45′ +7 Min Nothing happened of note until half time, even with a generous serving of eight added minutes.
HALF TIME – ARGENTINA 1 SAUDI ARABIA 0
48′ Min GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL TO SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia have really stolen a goal here. Argentina lose the ball on the half way, and a Saudi player quickly kicks it forward, but it rolls in between two Argentine defenders who seem to have forgotten what to do with a ball on the edge of their penalty area. Saleh Al-Shehri is on hand to control the ball and he fires home a quality shot to the bottom right corner, and the ball flies past the keeper for an unexpected goal. Poor defending from Argentina, but great finish by the Saudi number 11.
ARGENTINA 1 SAUDI ARABIA 1
51′ Min Saudi Arabia are on the attack now, and Argentina look shocked. Whilst no goals were forthcoming straight away, it was a period of dominance for Saudi Arabia. A desperate clearance or two saving their bacon. But……….
53′ Min GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL TO SAUDI ARABIA
A shock lead for Saudi Arabia, but can’t say a second wasn’t coming. After Saud Abdulhamid burned down the left, he crossed for Nawaf Al-Abed, whose shot was blocked. But then the ball found Salem Al-Dawsari who avoided some Argentina defensive attention and drilled the ball into the right corner again to take the lead for Saudi Arabia. A massive upset was brewing. Argentina looked stunned, and they should be.
ARGENTINA 1 SAUDI ARABIA 2
62′ Min Corner to Argentina. whilst the corner doesn’t go close, the subsequent play after the corner sees Argentina go close, but stopped by a great save by the Qatar keeper. No more goals for Argentina but loads of expensive lessons. In general, Saudi Arabia’s desperation is evident, keeping Argentina from getting that second goal.
72′ Min Despite a glut of possession, Argentina are finding Saudi Arabia hard to break down. Angel di Maria goes close but shoots straight at the Saudi keeper.
75′ Min Another Argentine attack goes astray as a header from a corner goes well over the crossbar. The big upset is on here, as Saudi Arabia are hanging on comfortably at the moment.
79′ Min A free kick is awarded to Argentina jut outside the penalty box, a position tailor made for Messi to show his skill. Not this time however as the ball clears the crossbar by a few metres.
83′ Min Saudi Arabia are matching yellow cards for Argentine attacks, but they are still holding on to their 2-1 lead.
90′ Min Another free kick close to the Saudi penalty area, and another blank from Argentina. Messi doesn’t even try and go direct this time.
90′ +1 Min Argentina go close again, an Alvarez shot is cleared off the line. In among all that the Saudi keeper is also booked. There’s still seven more minutes of added time for Saudi Arabia to hang on.
90′ +4 Min A mad scramble in the Saudi penalty area, the Saudi keeper comes out to meet a ball, clashes with an Argentine attacker, the ball falls to Messi who darts and weaves but can’t get a proper shot away. Saudi Arabia still hanging on. That’s after some time killing stretcher work and a needless substitution, which they are entitled to.
90′ +9 Min A corner to Argentina and this must be last chance saloon now. Nope, they get another one as added time goes over 10 minutes. Alvarez heads a lofted cross into the box straight at the Saudi keeper, and the final chance has gone.
90′ +12 Min Nope, the game is still going after a weak cross from Angel di Maria ends in a Saudi Arabia goal kick.
90′ +13 Min The game is still going, and it is getting questionable whether the referee is just waiting for Argentina to score. He could add another 30 minutes and not make a difference the way Argentina are going.
90′ +14 Min The referee finally blows the whistle and Saudi Arabia get a famous victory over Argentina.
Final Score
ARGENTINA 1
Lionel Messi 10′ pen
SAUDI ARABIA 2
Saleh Al-Shehri 48′ Salem Al-Dawsari 53′
HT Argentina 1-0.
Player of the Match
Most of Saudi Arabia
Points of Interest
- While Argentina’s first penalty was soft, who isn’t sick and tired of the wrestling and bullshit in the box for every corner. Most corners requiring a break in the play for the referee to tell players not to grab each other, only for them to grab each other straight away. Perhaps a few soft penalties will slow down the garbage in the box and make corners great again.
- The Saudi Arabia manager looks plenty like Ser Jamie from Game of Thrones.
- We guess you can just never trust a modern day Argentina at the World Cup.
- Did Argentina throw this game, we recall tax troubles for Messi?
Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia Match Stats
Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia Starting Teams
ARGENTINA (4-4-2)
23 E. Martínez
26 Molina
13 Romero
19 Otamendi
3 Tagliafico
11 Di María
7 De Paul
5 Paredes
17 Gómez Villaverde
10 Messi
22 L. Martínez
SAUDI ARABIA (4-1-4-1)
21 Al Owais
12 Abdulhamid
17 Al Tambakti
5 Al Bulayhi
13 Al Mohammadi Al Shahrani
8 Al Wahbi Al Malki
9 Al Brikan
7 Al Faraj
23 Kanno
10 Al Dawsari
11 Al Shehri
Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia Match Preview
Why should you care?
Big guns Argentina open their 2022 World Cup tournament, and in probably the most fan friendly time slot for everyone around the world.
Thy are playing against a nation in Saudi Arabia that were beaten 5-0 in their opening fixture at the last World Cup. So that means there might be a few goals in this one.
Maybe we’re being hard on Saudi Arabia, they did top their Qualifying group ahead of Japan with a W7 D2 L1 record. And they are unbeaten against Argentina.
But who are we kidding, it’ll be Argentina by plenty. Not even a Saudi loving Greg Norman can help them win this one.
Who should you care about?
Might sound like a bit of a Messi love-fest, but who can blame us. This is Lionel Messi‘s last chance to win a World Cup, so there will be a lot of focus on him.
With the focus on Messi, including ours, there could be plenty of high quality co-stars that shine like Lautaro Martínez and Angel di Maria. Even our favourite livewire ex Atalanta player Papu Gomez is one to watch.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez could be a good shout for Fantasy players, for a goal keeper who is looking to go long into the tournament.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
Argentina are 4/4 against Asian nations at the World Cup.
Saudi Arabia’s only match v South American nations at a World Cup ended in a loss last time.
Saudi Arabia are also winless v South American nations in five H2H since the last World Cup in 2018 (D3 L2)
Who will win?
Argentina 4 Saudi Arabia 0
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia Match Review
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute except one that has only the minutes that matter.
Stay tuned after the match.
Group C Argentina v Saudi Arabia Match Stats
Coming after the match.
