Araújo salvages a draw for Uruguay, preventing Saudi Arabia from beating another South American giant at the World Cup
Uruguay was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in its opening World Cup match on Monday in Miami Gardens, Florida, after Maxi Araújo scored late to rescue a point for Marcelo Bielsa’s team. Saudi Arabia had taken a surprise lead in the 41st minute through Abdulelah Al-Amri, who finished a rebound after Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera failed to control the ball on a save attempt.
Uruguay dominated much of the match, especially the second half, and created far more chances than its opponent. The South American side outshot Saudi Arabia 21-6 and controlled possession for long stretches, but it struggled to convert until Araújo capitalized on another goalkeeper rebound with about 10 minutes left. The Sporting Lisbon winger finished from close range after Mohammed Al-Owais could not hold a header, giving Uruguay a deserved equalizer.
Muslera, playing in his first World Cup appearance at 39 years and 364 days, became the oldest player ever to represent Uruguay in the tournament, surpassing Diego Godín’s previous mark. But despite Uruguay’s pressure, Al-Owais made several key saves, including a close-range header from Federico Viñas, a late effort from Manuel Ugarte, and a stoppage-time attempt from Federico Valverde that could have won the match.
Valverde said nerves affected Uruguay early, while Bielsa acknowledged that his team had not been good enough in the first half and said the match should have been won. The result left Group H tightly balanced after Cabo Verde also held Spain to a scoreless draw in Atlanta, meaning all four teams finished the day with one point.
The match also carried symbolic weight, linking different eras of World Cup history. Uruguay hosted the first World Cup in 1930 and will take part in the centenary tournament in 2030, while Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host the World Cup in 2034. Among the attendees were FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, former NFL player Chad Ochocinco, and Uruguay great Luis Suárez.
