
SAUDI ARABIA scored one of the biggest World Cup upsets ever by beating Lionel Messi’s Argentina 2-1 yesterday. Before this game, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni’s men were undefeated in their past 35 games, a sequence that includes the 2021 Copa America final against Brazil. They were just two games shy of the record for the longest run of international matches without a defeat, currently held by Italy. Messi is playing in his fifth World Cup, having appeared on soccer’s biggest stage for the first time at the 2006 tournament in Germany. Messi’s quest to win the one major title to elude him got off to a shocking start and brought back memories of Cameroon’s 1-0 win over an Argentina team led by Diego Maradona in the opening game of the 1990 World Cup. Goals by Saleh Alshehri and Salem Aldawsari in a five-minute span in the second half gave the Saudis the win. Argentina took an early lead with a 10th-minute penalty by Messi. The Argentina loss rivals other World Cup upsets like Senegal’s 1-0 win over titleholder France 1-0 in the 2002 tournament opener and the United States beating England by the same score in 1950. Messi shook hands with a Saudi coaching staff member after the final whistle and stood with his hands on his hips near the center circle, an all-too familiar scene for one of the best players ever who is yet to win the biggest prize in soccer. The unlikely victory was sealed by a somersault by Aldawsari, who brought down a high ball just inside the penalty area, turned one defender, jinked past another and drove a powerful shot past goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who got a hand on the ball but couldn’t keep out of the net in the 53rd. (SD-Xinhua) |