The 2026 FIFA World Cup H-group saw major upsets as Saudi Arabia held South American powerhouse Uruguay to a 1-1 draw, following Spain's earlier stalemate against World Cup debutants Cape Verde. After the first round of matches, all four teams in Group H sit level with one point each, throwing the group standings into uncertainty.
According to AFP, Saudi Arabia faced Uruguay under the scorching heat of Miami, USA. Abdulaleh Al-Amri broke the deadlock late in the first half, capitalizing on a goalkeeper's fumble to slot the ball into the net from inside the penalty area, giving Saudi Arabia a 1-0 lead.
With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius and high humidity, both teams struggled to create consistent scoring opportunities.
Maintaining their lead into the second half, Saudi Arabia shifted to a defensive posture. Meanwhile, trailing Uruguay adjusted their formation at halftime and launched sustained attacks in the second half, threatening the Saudi goal repeatedly. In the 60th minute, Manuel Ugarte's long-range shot struck the post, narrowly missing an equalizer.
The game turned in the 80th minute when Maxi Araujo fired a powerful shot from close range to level the score at 1-1. Neither side managed to score again before the final whistle.
Saudi Arabia's draw with Uruguay extends the unbeaten run of Asian teams in this tournament's opening matches.
Just hours earlier, Group H witnessed the biggest upset of the tournament so far, as tournament favorite Spain was held to a 0-0 draw by World Cup newcomers Cape Verde. Despite dominating much of the game, traditional powerhouse Uruguay failed to secure a win against Saudi Arabia, resulting in a shared point. With all four teams now on one point, the group's ranking remains tightly contested. (Compiled by Liu Wen-Yu) 1150616
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- Source: CNA (Central News Agency)
- Category: Event