Uruguay were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in the sweltering heat of Miami on Monday, leaving Group H of the World Cup finely balanced after the opening round of matches.
The result came just hours after one of the tournament’s biggest surprises saw European champions Spain held to a goalless draw by World Cup debutants Cape Verde.
With all four teams drawing their opening fixtures, every side in Group H now sits on one point, setting up an intriguing battle for qualification to the knockout stage.
Saudi Arabia stunned Uruguay late in the first half when defender Abdulelah al-Amri capitalised on a defensive lapse to give the Asian side the lead.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay dominated possession and piled pressure on the Saudis throughout the second half, creating numerous scoring opportunities in search of an equaliser.
Their persistence eventually paid off in the 80th minute when Maxi Araujo found the back of the net to rescue a point for the South Americans.
Despite the comeback, Uruguay were left frustrated after producing 22 shots in the second half alone, with Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais delivering a resilient performance to keep his side in the contest.
“We should have won this match,” Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said after the game.
“We weren’t able to show the best version of ourselves,” the Argentine tactician admitted, noting that his team only began to play with intensity after the break.
Uruguay’s preparations for the match had earlier suffered disruption after their arrival in the United States from Mexico was delayed due to paperwork issues involving their flight.
Played in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius alongside intense humidity in Miami, both teams struggled physically during large periods of the encounter.
Saudi Arabia defended resolutely throughout the match, while Uruguay repeatedly tested Al-Owais, who produced several key saves.
One of the goalkeeper’s best moments came shortly after the half-hour mark when he denied Federico Vinas with a sharp stop from a close-range diving header.
Uruguay will now turn attention to their next Group H clash against Cape Verde, while Saudi Arabia prepare to face Spain in what could prove decisive fixtures in the race for qualification.
