World Cup 2022 highlights: Saudi Arabia's historic victory on day three in Qatar
Опубликовано: 23-11-2022, 12:00, , 715, 0
Saudi Arabia defeats Argentina, nil against Denmark against Tunisia and Mexico against Poland, and France defeats Australia.
The third day of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will go down in football history with the victory of Saudi Arabia - a team that football experts predict will not get far - over Argentina, one of the favorites to win the tournament.
The breathtaking performance of the Saudi players on the pitch and the thousands of enthusiastic green-robed Green Falcon fans in the stands of the iconic Lusail Stadium ensured that the third day of the World Cup competition would go down in history as the day the giant of the football world was toppled.
Elsewhere, Denmark drew with Tunisia, the same with Mexico and Poland, while France performed as predicted by beating Australia confidently.
Here's a quick guide to everything you need to know about Tuesday and that unforgettable game.
The Argentines immediately applied pressure and the game seemed to take its course when renowned team captain Lionel Messi took the penalty after Saud Abdulhamid knocked out Leandro Paredes in the goalkeeper's box.
But a flurry of good saves from Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais kept Argentina's goals at bay and provided a lifeline for a team that finished 51st in the world in the FIFA standings, compared to an enviable third place in Argentina's rankings.
In the first half, Argentina attacked furiously and Saudi Arabia struggled to maintain control as the Argentines were in possession of almost two-thirds of the ball. But as Al Jazeera's Niels Adler pointed out, the Argentines failed to capitalize on their onslaught and even racked up a total of seven offsides despite their early game dominance.
Then came the second half, and a changed Saudi side came out of the locker room, betting on victory. And their determination and skill paid off.
Saleh al-Shehri of Saudi Arabia scored first in the 48th minute after intercepting a long ball, which he skillfully kicked through the legs of Argentine goalkeeper Damian Martínez into a corner.
It seemed that in just a few moments, Saudi winger Salem al-Dawsari penetrated the defense of Argentina and spun the ball beautifully into the top corner of the goal.
Saudi fans exploded with delight and probably a little joyful surprise.
An amazing game, which added about 15 minutes of extra time, ended with the Saudi players taking the field as winners and the Green Falcons fans jumping into the stadium stands.
“We supported our team better than the other side and we were rewarded,” said Shakri, who traveled to the match from Dhahran in eastern Saudi Arabia.
As Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic blew the final whistle, the FIFA Fan Fest in downtown Doha erupted in celebration as the shock of such a historic win began to spread locally and globally.
Across Qatar's capital, Doha, drivers honked their horns and formed impromptu celebratory motorcades.
It was a match of the first: Saudi Arabia beat Argentina for the first time. It was also the first victory for a Middle Eastern football team in this World Cup, which is also the first time that the Middle East has been hosted.
Messi, speaking at his fifth World Cup, later described his team's defeat as "a very hard blow".
Argentina maintained a 36-match unbeaten streak before losing to Saudi Arabia.
“We didn’t expect to start like this,” Messi said.
“We need to prepare for what is coming. We need to win or win, and it's up to us. We have to get back to the basics of who we are,” he said.
Saudi Arabia coach Frenchman Herve Renard said after the match that the team should not celebrate the victory too much, which he called "completely crazy".
“All the stars in the sky aligned for us,” Renard said after the game. “This is football, sometimes absolutely crazy things happen,” he said.
"We needed to get this result, it will go down in history, but as a manager I always demand more from my players, so let's stay humble."
An electrifying atmosphere reigned in the stadium, where it was hard to see the Danish fan in the sea of red and white Tunisians.
The Tunisians, known to their supporters as the "Eagles of Carthage", controlled the early stages of the game, but the Danes eventually settled into the match and in turn began to dominate possession.
Tunisia, energized from the first touch of the ball, conceded some near-convincing shots in both the first and second half, while the best chance of scoring a goal of the whole game seemed to be with the Dane Andreas Cornelius, who surprised everyone with a header , who landed on the goal post, although he hit almost point-blank.
A draw may have been the fairest outcome, but both teams will have to wonder why their energy and many shots on goal weren't converted into points.
But Tunisian fans were happy that their team had a hard time drawing against the Danes, especially after Saudi Arabia's earlier victory over Argentina, which was a big day for Arab fans and teams at the World Cup.
Ranked 13th in the FIFA rankings, no one would underestimate the Mexicans with their trio of strikers: Raul Jimenez, Edson Alvarez and Hirving Lozano.
The Poles, although ranked 26th in the FIFA rankings and only made their ninth World Cup appearance since their debut in 1938, fielded star striker Robert Lewandowski, who won the Gerd Müller Trophy for best striker of the year in October. had good reason to be confident in the game.
But Poland struggled to deal with Mexico's onslaught in the first 35 minutes as the North Americans dominated possession and kept star striker Lewandowski from scoring.
Although Mexico dominated the first half, one commentator described a lackluster performance, even though Mexico had possession about 63 percent of the time.
At the beginning of the second half, there was hope that the teams would move to a more free style of play, but this did not happen.
The Poles soon earned a penalty in the second half, but their striker Lewandowski couldn't get past Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, a slip that prompted Mexican fans at the 974 stadium to raise the roof, cheering.
The match between Mexico and Poland ended 0-0 in the first leg of Group C.
Despite numerous injuries to the French team, the reigning World Cup champions were favorites against Australia.
However, the injury rate was a concern, with Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema having to leave the team after tearing a muscle in training over the weekend; Christopher Nkunku limped out of practice on Tuesday after his teammate grabbed him; and neither Paul Pogba nor N'Golo Kante were able to travel to Qatar for the tournament.
Playing for the fifth time in a row at the World Cup, the Australian Socceroos were young and hungry, ready to challenge France. They had a lot to prove on Tuesday as they hadn't made it out of the group stage since they first entered the World Cup tournament in 2006.
And the game started with a surprise for Australia when they shocked the French with a goal in the ninth minute when Craig Goodwin ferried the ball into the top corner.
French defender Lucas Hernandez had to limp off the pitch with an injury as he tried to block a cross that led to the Aussie's goal. Hernandez's brother Theo then took his place in the French defense and, less than 20 minutes later, was instrumental in Adrien Rabiot's first goal for Les Bleus.
Just minutes later, with just over half an hour left on the match clock, 36-year-old French striker Olivier Giroud scored the first of two goals of the game.
France took the lead and never looked back, dominating the second half.
Kylian Mbappe headed France's third goal in the 67th minute, and a few minutes later he broke the left side of the field and sent a cross that also scored Giroud, scoring his second and fourth France goal of the night.
“We were scared, but then quickly reacted. Even if we could have scored more goals, we found each other, we were effective,” Giroud said after the match.
“It is very good that our self-confidence has made a difference. However, we will have to learn from these small mistakes.”
Australia coach Graham Arnold praised the French after the match.
“Look, at the end of the day, they are the quality side. They are world champions for a reason,” he added.
“I think we played well in the first half. We ran out of legs a bit in the second half, but these players play at this level."
On Tuesday, Tunisia's draw with Denmark was also marked as a double for Arab fans and teams.
“We Arabs should have lost both matches. Nobody believed that we could get such results. But look who's celebrating? Arabs,” Ayub Gerbi, an Algerian who came to Education City stadium to support Tunisia, told Al Jazeera. “We can go far. How far? I say the sky is the limit. We [Arabs] play at home. Each Arab team will have strong support. This will give every Arab team a huge boost,” Tunisian Moez Babbusha told Al Jazeera.
The third day of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will go down in football history with the victory of Saudi Arabia - a team that football experts predict will not get far - over Argentina, one of the favorites to win the tournament.
The breathtaking performance of the Saudi players on the pitch and the thousands of enthusiastic green-robed Green Falcon fans in the stands of the iconic Lusail Stadium ensured that the third day of the World Cup competition would go down in history as the day the giant of the football world was toppled.
Elsewhere, Denmark drew with Tunisia, the same with Mexico and Poland, while France performed as predicted by beating Australia confidently.
Here's a quick guide to everything you need to know about Tuesday and that unforgettable game.
Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia
The match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia began at 13:00 local time (10:00 GMT) at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.The Argentines immediately applied pressure and the game seemed to take its course when renowned team captain Lionel Messi took the penalty after Saud Abdulhamid knocked out Leandro Paredes in the goalkeeper's box.
But a flurry of good saves from Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais kept Argentina's goals at bay and provided a lifeline for a team that finished 51st in the world in the FIFA standings, compared to an enviable third place in Argentina's rankings.
In the first half, Argentina attacked furiously and Saudi Arabia struggled to maintain control as the Argentines were in possession of almost two-thirds of the ball. But as Al Jazeera's Niels Adler pointed out, the Argentines failed to capitalize on their onslaught and even racked up a total of seven offsides despite their early game dominance.
Then came the second half, and a changed Saudi side came out of the locker room, betting on victory. And their determination and skill paid off.
Saleh al-Shehri of Saudi Arabia scored first in the 48th minute after intercepting a long ball, which he skillfully kicked through the legs of Argentine goalkeeper Damian Martínez into a corner.
It seemed that in just a few moments, Saudi winger Salem al-Dawsari penetrated the defense of Argentina and spun the ball beautifully into the top corner of the goal.
Saudi fans exploded with delight and probably a little joyful surprise.
An amazing game, which added about 15 minutes of extra time, ended with the Saudi players taking the field as winners and the Green Falcons fans jumping into the stadium stands.
“We supported our team better than the other side and we were rewarded,” said Shakri, who traveled to the match from Dhahran in eastern Saudi Arabia.
As Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic blew the final whistle, the FIFA Fan Fest in downtown Doha erupted in celebration as the shock of such a historic win began to spread locally and globally.
Across Qatar's capital, Doha, drivers honked their horns and formed impromptu celebratory motorcades.
It was a match of the first: Saudi Arabia beat Argentina for the first time. It was also the first victory for a Middle Eastern football team in this World Cup, which is also the first time that the Middle East has been hosted.
Messi, speaking at his fifth World Cup, later described his team's defeat as "a very hard blow".
Argentina maintained a 36-match unbeaten streak before losing to Saudi Arabia.
“We didn’t expect to start like this,” Messi said.
“We need to prepare for what is coming. We need to win or win, and it's up to us. We have to get back to the basics of who we are,” he said.
Saudi Arabia coach Frenchman Herve Renard said after the match that the team should not celebrate the victory too much, which he called "completely crazy".
“All the stars in the sky aligned for us,” Renard said after the game. “This is football, sometimes absolutely crazy things happen,” he said.
"We needed to get this result, it will go down in history, but as a manager I always demand more from my players, so let's stay humble."
Denmark vs Tunisia
Denmark vs. Tunisia was next, starting at 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT) at Education City Stadium in what was to be an energetic but inconclusive match between Danes and Tunisians.An electrifying atmosphere reigned in the stadium, where it was hard to see the Danish fan in the sea of red and white Tunisians.
The Tunisians, known to their supporters as the "Eagles of Carthage", controlled the early stages of the game, but the Danes eventually settled into the match and in turn began to dominate possession.
Tunisia, energized from the first touch of the ball, conceded some near-convincing shots in both the first and second half, while the best chance of scoring a goal of the whole game seemed to be with the Dane Andreas Cornelius, who surprised everyone with a header , who landed on the goal post, although he hit almost point-blank.
A draw may have been the fairest outcome, but both teams will have to wonder why their energy and many shots on goal weren't converted into points.
But Tunisian fans were happy that their team had a hard time drawing against the Danes, especially after Saudi Arabia's earlier victory over Argentina, which was a big day for Arab fans and teams at the World Cup.
Mexico vs Poland
In the cooler evening air of Qatar, Mexico against Poland kicked off at 1900 local time (1600 GMT) at the 974 Stadium.Ranked 13th in the FIFA rankings, no one would underestimate the Mexicans with their trio of strikers: Raul Jimenez, Edson Alvarez and Hirving Lozano.
The Poles, although ranked 26th in the FIFA rankings and only made their ninth World Cup appearance since their debut in 1938, fielded star striker Robert Lewandowski, who won the Gerd Müller Trophy for best striker of the year in October. had good reason to be confident in the game.
But Poland struggled to deal with Mexico's onslaught in the first 35 minutes as the North Americans dominated possession and kept star striker Lewandowski from scoring.
Although Mexico dominated the first half, one commentator described a lackluster performance, even though Mexico had possession about 63 percent of the time.
At the beginning of the second half, there was hope that the teams would move to a more free style of play, but this did not happen.
The Poles soon earned a penalty in the second half, but their striker Lewandowski couldn't get past Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, a slip that prompted Mexican fans at the 974 stadium to raise the roof, cheering.
The match between Mexico and Poland ended 0-0 in the first leg of Group C.
Australia vs France
In the last match of the third day, the match between France and Australia began at 22:00 local time (19:00 GMT) at Al Janoub Stadium.Despite numerous injuries to the French team, the reigning World Cup champions were favorites against Australia.
However, the injury rate was a concern, with Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema having to leave the team after tearing a muscle in training over the weekend; Christopher Nkunku limped out of practice on Tuesday after his teammate grabbed him; and neither Paul Pogba nor N'Golo Kante were able to travel to Qatar for the tournament.
Playing for the fifth time in a row at the World Cup, the Australian Socceroos were young and hungry, ready to challenge France. They had a lot to prove on Tuesday as they hadn't made it out of the group stage since they first entered the World Cup tournament in 2006.
And the game started with a surprise for Australia when they shocked the French with a goal in the ninth minute when Craig Goodwin ferried the ball into the top corner.
French defender Lucas Hernandez had to limp off the pitch with an injury as he tried to block a cross that led to the Aussie's goal. Hernandez's brother Theo then took his place in the French defense and, less than 20 minutes later, was instrumental in Adrien Rabiot's first goal for Les Bleus.
Just minutes later, with just over half an hour left on the match clock, 36-year-old French striker Olivier Giroud scored the first of two goals of the game.
France took the lead and never looked back, dominating the second half.
Kylian Mbappe headed France's third goal in the 67th minute, and a few minutes later he broke the left side of the field and sent a cross that also scored Giroud, scoring his second and fourth France goal of the night.
“We were scared, but then quickly reacted. Even if we could have scored more goals, we found each other, we were effective,” Giroud said after the match.
“It is very good that our self-confidence has made a difference. However, we will have to learn from these small mistakes.”
Australia coach Graham Arnold praised the French after the match.
“Look, at the end of the day, they are the quality side. They are world champions for a reason,” he added.
“I think we played well in the first half. We ran out of legs a bit in the second half, but these players play at this level."
Outside football:
Cheering Saudi football fans celebrated late into the night knowing they could take a nap on Wednesday after King Salman of Saudi Arabia declared an extraordinary public holiday for public and private sector workers and students in honor of the victory over Argentina.On Tuesday, Tunisia's draw with Denmark was also marked as a double for Arab fans and teams.
“We Arabs should have lost both matches. Nobody believed that we could get such results. But look who's celebrating? Arabs,” Ayub Gerbi, an Algerian who came to Education City stadium to support Tunisia, told Al Jazeera. “We can go far. How far? I say the sky is the limit. We [Arabs] play at home. Each Arab team will have strong support. This will give every Arab team a huge boost,” Tunisian Moez Babbusha told Al Jazeera.
More information about the World Cup:
Check out the full schedule of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on the official website of 1 win Be sure to visit Al Jazeera's artificial intelligence match prediction system to see how your team is predicted to perform in Qatar.
