Group H: Araujo equaliser saves Uruguay’s blushes in draw with Saudis

Maxi Araujo scored a late equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw for Uruguay in their World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia on Monday, preventing another stunning upset in Group H after Spain’s earlier goalless draw with Cape Verde. The Saudis famously beat Argentina 2-1 in their 2022 tournament opener and looked on course for another shock courtesy of Abdulelah Alamri’s 41st-minute strike until winger Araujo stepped up 10 minutes from time. Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa certainly viewed it as a missed opportunity after European champions Spain dropped two points earlier in the day. “An opponent we should have beaten; we gave away minutes in the first half that suggests we didn’t do things right,” he said. “We had to win this match.” The Green Falcons ultimately had goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais to thank for their point, which will give them confidence they can progress to the knockout stage for the first time since the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994. “We were very tired at the end, but to play this type of game with this opponent and to get a point, it’s a positive for us,” said coach Georgios Donis. “I like the spirit and the passion of my players but I think we have the quality to play better.” Uruguay, World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950, started the match with the swagger of favourites and in the fifth minute left winger Araujo turned on the edge of the box and angled a shot at goal that Alowais parried away. But barring a Federico Vinas diving header on the half-hour mark, which Alowais also pushed away, the Uruguayans lacked accuracy going forward and often looked a bit casual at the back. SAUDI ATTACK COMES ALIVE Donis had promised his side would be courageous and their attack sparked into life in the 36th minute when left back Moteb Alharbi skipped through the midfield before being cynically cut down 30 metres from goal. Alamri had a shot from the centre of the box well saved by Fernando Muslera two minutes later but the Uruguay goalkeeper was powerless to prevent the Saudis from going ahead soon afterwards. Mohamed Kanno got on the end of a Musab Aljuwayr corner and although Muslera managed to save his powerful header, Alamri was on hand to tap the ball into the net. Bielsa made two changes at the break and Uruguay’s gameplan immediately looked more coherent, getting players down the flank to put crosses into the box and producing a string of headers for Alowais to deal with. Defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte came within inches of an equaliser when he beat the Saudi keeper in the 60th minute only for his drilled shot to bounce off the far post. Vinas had been Uruguay’s best aerial threat all game and it was no surprise that the breakthrough came from one of his headers 10 minutes from fulltime. Alowais again denied the target man but the ball fell straight to Araujo, who did well to control it and clip it into the net at the near post. Uruguay poured forward looking for a winner in a frenetic finish, Federico Valverde and Jose Maria Gimenez coming closest with rasping shots from either side of the box that Alowais did well to push past his posts. “I think the nerves of the debut worked against us, as did the need to go out and score,” said Valverde. “In the second half we did a bit more of what the manager wanted. I’m frustrated and angry, but as captain I’m happy with my teammates’ work.”