Argentina vs Saudi Arabia LIVE: World Cup 2022 result and reaction as Saudi Arabia claim stunning shock win
Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia: Lionel Messi scored early on but a stunning comeback ensured an all-time great World Cup shock
Saudi Arabia beat Argentina to record one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history with a 2-1 win over Lionel Messi’s side thanks to a scintillating second-half comeback.
On his fifth and final quest for the only major trophy to elude him, the 35-year-old Messi scored a 10th-minute penalty in a dominant first-half display where he and Lautaro Martinez also had three goals disallowed for offside.
But Saudi Arabia, the second-lowest ranked team in the tournament after Ghana, threw caution to the wind at the start of the second half, charging at Argentina’s defence in front of a frenzied 88,012 crowd.
Saleh Al-Shehri squeezed in a low shot in the 48th minute while Salem Al-Dawsari curled in a scorching strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 53rd minute to leave Argentina and Messi looking utterly shell-shocked in the Group C opener. Despite plenty of possession after that, Argentina were unable to best Saudi Arabia, who were competing in their sixth World Cup but had never previously won an opening game.
Relive all the action with our live blog below:
France 0-1 Australia
16 mins: Lucas Hernandez’s night is very much over. He’s replaced by his brother Theo at left back for France.
France 0-1 Australia
15 mins: Another angle of that Goodwin goal...
France 0-1 Australia
14 mins: Griezmann is floating about; he was occupying some spots out on France’s right before but is now on the left wing.
France 0-1 Australia
France 0-1 Australia
12 mins: Already struggling with injuries, France now look set to be without Hernandez.
He’s helped off the pitch and will hope that this doesn’t mark the end of his tournament...
France 0-1 Australia
10 mins: Australia break on their right flank, where Hernandez goes down and wants a foul...
None is given, and the ball is squared across the France box to Goodwin, who floats in totally unmarked!
He SLAMS a first-time, left-footed shot high into the net past Lloris! Wow!
GOAL! France 0-1 Australia (Goodwin, 9)
9 mins: WHAT DID WE JUST SAY?!
AUSTRALIA TAKE THE LEAD!
France 0-0 Australia
8 mins: An ancouraging spell of possession from Australia, who some feared might get blown away here.
There’s still plenty of time for that... but Argentina’s loss to Saudi Arabia earlier today was evidence that you can’t write off any team...
France 0-0 Australia
6 mins: Another tricky run from Mbappe, who ghosts through the Australia defensive line from the left wing.
He eventually runs into two defenders, and the Socceroos clear their lines. France will build again from the back.
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