Argentina star Lionel Messi looked shell-shocked after Saudi Arabia’s 2-0 victory in his team’s opening match of the World Cup. The 35-year-old Messi is in his fifth — and likely last — attempt to win soccer’s ultimate prize.
Messi makes a run in behind the defense but is flagged offside. The goal would have been his third in the first half but it wouldn’t count. Here we will discuss about Argentina national football team vs saudi arabia national football team lineups.
Also Read: kolkata fatafat ghosh babu
Argentina vs Saudi Arabia
Argentina’s World Cup is under way, and they face a daunting challenge as their first opponents are Saudi Arabia. The Argentines were favored going into the match, and they took an early lead when Lionel Messi scored a penalty won by Leandro Paredes on a controversial incident in which the players appeared to be pushing each other. However, the goal didn’t last long as Saudi Arabia came back into the game with two goals by Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari.
Argentina was sluggish and confused in the second half, and the stifling heat in the Lusail stadium pushed them into an uncharacteristic defensive shell. The fans who traveled in the thousands to see them play roared, but the players seemed bewildered and lost, as if the ghost of defeat to Cameroon in 1990 were looming over them.
The goal that finally gave them a lift came after a series of mistakes by the Argentines – one too many pass, a misplaced run, a rash tackle – allowed Saudi Arabia to break through the middle of the pitch, and Al-Dawsari curled his shot past the reach of Emiliano Martinez.
A few minutes later, Argentina almost had a third, but it was again disallowed for offside. The offside flag has been very inconsistent so far.
71 mins: Di Maria gets a free-kick on the right and curls it into the box – it’s inches wide of the post, but it’s a great chance!
The Argentines have a lot of work to do to keep up with the Saudis, and they are having trouble finding space in the final third. But the tempo is picking up, and there will be plenty of chances for both sides in the remaining 20 minutes and Argentina national football team vs saudi arabia national football team lineups.
Argentina vs Poland
Argentina is one of the world’s most overrated teams and, judging by its performance against Saudi Arabia, it would be easy to dismiss this as another false alarm. But the reality is quite different. The team is flawed in many ways and it is hard to see them making the quarter-finals. But they still have one of the greatest players in the history of football and a sense of destiny that drives them forward.
The match is a dead heat but the atmosphere in the stadium is livelier than some of the other games so far, thanks to the large contingent of Argentinian fans. The Argentinian players are trying to find their way into the game but have a lot of work to do to break down the resolute Saudi defence.
A clumsy challenge from De Paul concedes a free-kick to the underdogs, who will be delighted with their first piece of possession in this half. It is whipped in but Martinez cannot get the telling touch and the ball rolls out for a corner.
Al Owais comes out quickly to snuff out a counter-attack from Argentina and, just as the pressure mounts, he makes a crucial save with his legs. Then Messi tries to slip Tagliafico through behind the high Saudi line but his pass is ruled out for offside.
The tempo has definitely dropped but, with the clock ticking down, Argentina needs to take advantage of the extra 30 minutes. They have a chance to change things around if they can make sure their passing is crisper and more accurate.
Salem al-Dawsari has been in fine form, displaying some of the flair that made him a superstar in Qatar and more recently helping Al Hilal to the title in Saudi Arabia. His shimmies, feints and bursts of acceleration evoke memories of his glory days at Barcelona.
But it is the Argentina defenders who are chasing every lost ball and allowing the Saudi attackers to surge through with almost impunity. It is a dangerous tactic and Krychowiak’s foul in the area is punished with a yellow card.
Argentina vs Mexico
Argentina’s World Cup hopes depend on Lionel Messi to score the goals they need to reach the knockout stages. They are drawn in a tricky Group C with Mexico and Poland. The Mexicans are unbeaten in the tournament and will be looking for a win to close the gap on the leaders. The two teams have met 35 times before and both sides are well aware of the importance of this match.
Messi is a player of immense quality and he needs to make the most of this opportunity. He will want to put the opening game defeat against Iceland behind him and start this campaign with a win against his old rivals. The game is taking place at the Lusail Stadium in Doha.
The first half has been a cagey affair with both defences putting in a solid performance. The Saudis are known for their physicality and have disrupted Argentina’s rhythm with some rough tackles. Messi has struggled to find space but he is still creating chances for his team-mates.
Al Owais makes a good save from a Di Maria low cross which was heading for Martinez at the back post. He also gets a hand to a deflected shot from De Paul. The clock is ticking and it will be tough for Argentina to win this game.
Argentina are starting to play with more confidence and get the ball forward. But they are still unable to find the net.
There are some worrying signs for Argentina as a few of their players look to be carrying injuries. Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is likely to be rested, while Paulo Dybala could also be a doubt. The good news is that Messi seems to be fit and should be able to feature.
Argentina have won the last four matches against Mexico, but they have never won a game in Doha. They need a win against their old rivals to maintain their slim hope of reaching the quarter-finals. If they lose, they will fall to third in the group and will need other results to go their way to qualify for the next round.
Argentina vs Russia
Argentina are under the cosh, a shocker that will go down as one of the greatest World Cup upsets. The defending champions are struggling to contain an energetic Saudi Arabia side who have made a superb start in this 2022 World Cup Group C encounter at the Lusail Stadium.
The game is evenly poised and the hosts have a real chance to make it 2-0. However, the Argentine defence is tight and they can’t break through a well-drilled team.
OFFSIDE!!! Al Dawsari makes a run past the defence but is offside. The assistant referee has raised his flag and he cannot take the goal.
Another good opportunity for Saudi Arabia as they pin Argentina back in the midfield. They force a couple of corners but they can’t carve out a clear cut chance. Argentina are frantically playing and they need to calm down. They are rushing their passes and trying to make decisions too quickly.
Lionel Messi has been a doubt for this game after an Achilles injury kept him away from training two days ago. However, he seems to be on the way to recovery after rest and specialised sessions away from his group. He was not present at the open training session and he looked rusty.
Argentina’s defenders have been tested by the high line that Saudi Arabia are playing but they have held firm. Messi and his forwards must show more urgency in attack and also avoid kicking the ball long to the back four.
The players are bunched together at the end and they don’t exchange shirts with the Saudi players who have just become instant heroes. It is a moment to remember in the history of this tournament and it will have a huge impact on the future of soccer in this controversial country. The hosts must win their next matches against Mexico and Poland to have any chance of progressing. The first of these games will be played on Tuesday at the Lusail Stadium. The match will be televised on all major TV channels in India. You can stream all the action live on Hotstar, Jiocinema, and sports18 HD. To know more about Argentina national football team vs saudi arabia national football team lineups just follow us.
