Late Araujo equaliser denies Saudi Arabia victory in World Cup

RIYADH: Egyptian fans most certainly felt a sense of déjà vu while watching Saudi Arabia take on Uruguay. Like Egypt, the Green Falcons took the lead in the first half. And like Egypt, they conceded after the break, unable to hold on for victory. Yet, also like the Pharaohs, Saudi Arabia will feel they deserved more, even if a draw against one of the tournament’s strongest sides would have been gladly accepted before kickoff.

Spain dropping points against Cape Verde might have caught the attention of both Marcelo Bielsa and Georgios Donis. In what was one of the quietest starts to a 2026 World Cup match so far, both sides were extremely wary of taking risks, with multiple passing sequences ending back at the defence.

The Hard Rock Stadium was awash with sky blue. The Uruguayan supporters did their best to unsettle the Green Falcons, but to little effect during the opening half. Saudi Arabia looked calm, composed and well organised, ensuring Uruguay found little space to exploit behind the defence.

There were flashes of quality, after all, the individual talent on display was evident. But a draw felt preferable to defeat, even if a victory would have provided either side with a comfortable cushion in the race for the Round of 32.

Al-Owais brought the Saudi supporters to their feet in the 30th minute with an excellent save. A diving header from Federico Vinas was pushed away before Uruguay blazed the rebound over the crossbar.

The goalkeeper was called into action again four minutes later, this time reacting well to push away a dangerous cross. After the hydration break, Uruguay began to grow into the contest.

Yet momentum shifted towards Saudi Arabia almost immediately. In the 38th minute, Abdulelah Al-Amri found