00:03Hello everyone, welcome to our live coverage from Miami of this Group H fixture between
00:08Saudi Arabia and Uruguay as the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to the sunshine state of Florida.
00:16Despite not being the regular first choice at his club, Al-Athlif.
00:22Fresh having hardly played in the second half of the season for Al-Hilal.
00:30Kick-off in Miami. It's Saudi Arabia against Uruguay and a first touch at the back for Abdulela Al-Amri.
00:39Here's Tam Bhakti. Both fullbacks getting quite high quite quickly here.
00:45Vigne waiting patiently on the near side and brought into the play Matthias Vigne.
00:53Oliveira.
01:00Vigne trying to set something up. First shot and goal. It's a decent run. It needed saving. Straight at Al
01:05-Hawais.
01:07And a shot from Maxi Arauj.
01:10Al-Hawais was not very confident with it. Straight at him.
01:15With this corner. The first corner of the match.
01:19Early pressure on the Saudi defence.
01:24Al-Juaire.
01:26Salem Al-Darsari.
01:27He might have a pop from here and Al-Darsari sends it wide.
01:32First attempt on goal from Saudi Arabia and it comes from their Talismanic captain who scored three goals in six
01:38previous World Cup appearances.
01:40It's a mistake for Miss Lera. Miss Lera passes out. Looks trying to play out wide on the right-hand
01:46side.
01:47That's where Saudi Arabia really quick to pounce.
01:49And the effort is okay. It's a decent one you'd expect.
01:53Timely return to fitness for him during the spring.
01:56Having missed three months or so with a hamstring injury during the most recent campaign.
02:02Bugate.
02:08He's a much more integral part of his national side than he is his club side.
02:22Finally the refs going to blow here.
02:27Yeah, I think, I think, I think, Abdul-Lavid is very, uh, here in Miami.
02:33Now when Nunez made the run to the near post, it's met by Cano who sends it away to the
02:38far side.
02:39Passero is trying to tee it up in the middle and Salem Al-Darsari brings it away.
02:47It's Bentancourt sending it forward. Great play here from Varela and Asantan Bhakti not really clearing his lines.
02:55Matsya Raho at the far post. Here's a chance.
02:58Oh, it's with the save. And it came and...
03:03Guillermo and Varela having to come across to the near side.
03:06This is Valverde.
03:09A little exchange with Ugate.
03:12Al-Habi with the header away. Here's Al-Darsari.
03:16Good feet from him.
03:18Neat and tidy but Darwin Nunez able to get it back.
03:24Uruguay looking to up the pace here.
03:32Vinho's delivery.
03:33Otherwise it's there.
03:35The referee's going to blow. Free kick Saudi Arabia.
03:38Yeah, otherwise it does really well because he's under pressure. He goes. He's going to take a knock.
03:47Pressure on Al-Darsari. Motab Al-Habi collects. He's away from Ugate.
03:53He's away from Valverde.
03:55And Saudi Arabia have got a free kick here.
03:58It is but I think it's one of those distances where you can get up over.
04:01Musab El-Jawair sending it in and Muslera under pressure there colliding with his own defender Sebastian Caceres.
04:07Yeah, good goal picking.
04:08Needed to come out. There was a danger.
04:10With eight minutes to go in the first half.
04:13Musab El-Jawair sends it over.
04:16Great save, Muslera.
04:18Made a decent save in this first half.
04:22That won the best of them.
04:24Al-Brican has done well here.
04:25Into Salem Al-Darsari.
04:29Who's got it back.
04:30Couldn't find Al-Brican.
04:32Caceres initially was the player who got a toe on it.
04:34Al-Brican tries to win it back.
04:36Mariani, the referee, doing a good job of keeping this play going.
04:40Saad Abdul Hamid into Mohamed Abu Al-Shamat who will get the corner.
04:45Yeah, good play. This is a really good phase of play for Saudi Arabia.
04:48Pawn a kick for Saudi Arabia.
04:50Best spell of the game so far for them.
04:53Muslera's there.
04:54But he couldn't keep that one out.
04:57Abdul El Al-Amri for Saudi Arabia.
05:01That's a very, very good header and goal.
05:03The initial header caused all sorts of problems.
05:07It was such ferociousness.
05:10And the follow-up.
05:13Al-Amri was very quick to react.
05:16This layer there is an awkward bounce in front of him.
05:19Tries to react.
05:20Lost the last five times in the World Cup when they've conceded the opening goal in a match.
05:25And they could be under pressure again here.
05:27Cano popping up on the right wing of all places.
05:29It's not where we normally find him.
05:31But tied it up impeccably by Manuel Ugarte.
05:34Yeah, he used his body really well.
05:37Ugarte.
05:38A header on.
05:40Guilela Al-Amri with the challenge.
05:43And it is going to be the first yellow card.
05:46Going by referee Maurizio Mariani.
05:49And Uruguay.
05:50Strike back before the break.
05:52And it comes from Maxi Araujo.
05:53Powerful header.
05:55Flying save from Alois.
05:58Playing a minimum of four additional minutes here at the end of this half.
06:01And here's Maxi Araujo with an opportunity.
06:05Denied again by Alois.
06:07And the flag has gone up on the far side.
06:09That's a brilliant save.
06:10Mohamed Alois.
06:12And now it's offside.
06:13But he doesn't know that at the time.
06:14He makes himself really big.
06:16It is an excellent save.
06:19It is maybe possibly just on the offside there.
06:23Maxi Araujo.
06:29Real test for Uruguay.
06:31Set out to play attacking football.
06:34Struggled for goals in recent times.
06:36Would dearly love one here.
06:40Morella available on the far side.
06:42Back into Manuel Ugarte.
06:45Patient from Uruguay.
06:47Can they carve out one more opportunity before the half-time whistle?
06:50No.
06:51And that was excellent defensive play there from Mohamed Abu Al-Shamat.
07:00And a play off the boots of Mohamed Alois.
07:04And there goes the half-time whistle.
07:06That will do it.
07:07At the end of an opening half that has seen Abdullah Al-Amri score for Saudi Arabia in the 41st
07:15minute of the game.
07:16Having previously forced an excellent save from Fernando Muslera.
07:21It's advantage.
07:22Saudi Arabia in Miami at the intervals.
07:25Saudi Arabia 1.
07:26Uruguay 0.
07:27So ready to go with the second half.
07:31It's Uruguay who get us underway.
07:34Slotted in there straight away.
07:38And it comes from Varela.
07:40The diving header brings the save from Alois.
07:44We don't see many miscues like that from Bentancourt.
07:48But it's one back by Ugarte.
07:52And Uruguay.
07:54Piling forward again and queuing up inside the penalty area.
07:58If it carries on like this it's going to be a very long second half for Saudi Arabia.
08:03Ugarte.
08:05Off the post and away.
08:09Mohamed Al-Owais.
08:10I'm not sure whether he had it covered or not.
08:11But he's certainly the post helped him.
08:14But there's a touch.
08:16Hanno I think was expecting a free kick there.
08:18Araujo.
08:19Challenged by Mohamed Abu Al-Shamat.
08:21Whose reaction.
08:24To that decision from the referee.
08:28Whipped into that near post.
08:31By Valverde.
08:32Saved by Alois again.
08:35They scored in the first half.
08:38Uruguay have had ten attempts on goal since then.
08:41I think it's what we expected.
08:42We expected Uruguay really to come out in the second half.
08:45They had to try and put on a proper fight.
08:48First 45 minutes.
08:49We've been at least disappointed with the way in which they sort of approached that first half.
08:53Down themselves behind.
08:54And second half have been far far better.
08:56It's Valverde.
08:57That's a dangerous looking delivery.
09:00Turn Uruguay around a little bit.
09:01Because trying to absorb that sort of pressure.
09:04Back to the wall for the remainder of the game.
09:05It's going to be a real tough order.
09:07They've done it for most of this half.
09:09And they're always going to allow the opposition some chances.
09:13De La Ralkaiburi.
09:15Back into Cano.
09:18It's relieved to have the ball at the other end of the field for a few moments.
09:21Give their defenders a break for maybe only 30 seconds or so.
09:27Because here's Rodrigo Bentancourt.
09:29Beautifully done.
09:30Away from Mohamed Cano.
09:31Into Nicolas de la Cruz.
09:34Foul by Mohamed Abu Al-Shamat.
09:37But I caught the opportunity just there to break on Uruguay.
09:40Just that pass.
09:41Adel Seri just held on it to a bit too long.
09:45Chose the wrong option.
09:46Otherwise, Saudi Arabia could have hit Uruguay on the break.
09:49Brian Rodriguez is waiting to come on for Uruguay at the next available opportunity.
09:56In it comes.
09:57Vinyas.
09:58Saved by Adelweiss.
09:59It's in.
10:00It's 1-1.
10:01The level.
10:03Maxi Arajo.
10:04At last.
10:05All the pressure pays.
10:08Uruguay are back in it.
10:10Consistent pressure.
10:12Continuous pressure.
10:13We'll have to see whether or not.
10:14It's a great end of a game once again.
10:16I think they would win this.
10:18They had a good share of the game actually.
10:20A decent share of the game in the first half.
10:22In the second half.
10:23It's almost entirely been in their half.
10:25And here come Uruguay again.
10:29Not far wide.
10:31Close to number two.
10:34Bielsa Rodrigo Aguirre waiting to come on.
10:37And Vinyas was there again.
10:39Trying to get on the end of that.
10:40Didn't reach him.
10:41Here's Valverde.
10:43Nicholas De La Cruz.
10:48Uruguay looking for the big finish to complete the comeback.
10:51Adelweiss.
10:54Albrecan will keep hold of it.
11:03Back out to Valverde.
11:09Uruguay will try again.
11:10Aguirre with the header down.
11:13Saudi Arabia survived.
11:15Survived once again.
11:16Elastic defending.
11:17This time.
11:18But once again for Mahmoud Al-Owais.
11:21Very, very good goalkeeping.
11:23Here comes Varela.
11:25Once more.
11:26It's another dangerous looking delivery.
11:28No chances taken there.
11:32Uruguay's pressure continues.
11:34What a save.
11:36Unbelievable stop by Al-Owais.
11:39Uruguay can't believe it.
11:41Guillermo Varela.
11:43Valverde.
11:45Drilling it in.
11:48Canobio.
11:49De La Cruz.
11:51Valverde.
11:52Corner.
11:55We've almost had eight minutes of added time.
12:07Players not sure whether that's the final whistle.
12:10It is now.
12:12And Saudi Arabia with an extremely hard-fought draw.
12:17And Federico Valverde and Uruguay denied.
12:22Yeah.
12:23Abdul El Al-Amri have put Saudi Arabia ahead before half-time.
12:28Maxi Araujo equalizing in the 80th minute.
12:31But despite corner after corner.
12:34Shot after shot.
12:35They couldn't find that winning goal.
12:37Al-Owais was outstanding in goal for Saudi Arabia.
12:40It's finished.
12:41Saudi Arabia won.
12:42Uruguay won.
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