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Score: 1-0
Scorers: Luis Suarez 23rd Minute
After a sluggish start to the game, Uruguay took the lead in a game which turned out to be pretty comfortable. Uruguay were the favorites coming into this game and they pretty much dominated the game in terms of chances and in pretty much every department of the game.
Half-chance aside Saudi Arabia put up a much better display of defending in their second game of this World Cup.
Juan Antonio Pizzi knew his job was on the line and he rang in the chances as he replaced four players. Uruguay, on the other hand, made their changes in the shape of Carlos Sanchez and Cristian Rodriguez.
Nevertheless, the game had its moments as Uruguay laboured to a victory. Saudi Arabia became the first Asian team to exit this edition’s World Cup and will have to exit along with Egypt. Group A at the FIFA World Cup 2018 seems dusted and settled as we look at the talking points from this game:
#1 Luis Suarez marks his landmark in style with a smart finish
“El Pistolero” marked his 100th game for the national team in style as he notched up his 52nd goal. Having made his debut in 2007, Luis Suarez has embraced his role as Uruguay’s top scorer and in this game, he was lively in the early moments. Thereafter, like the others, Suarez also embraced the tone of the game that was subdued as it can be.
Suarez didn’t too much wrong when the ball came to him and in the first half, it was his instinct that led him to finish in such a calm manner.
The build-up to the goal was shockingly easy for Uruguay as Saudi Arabia conceded a corner and then failed to organize themselves with the threat of the in-swinging ball.
The smile was back on the cool assassin’s face. One wonders whether he will be able to overtake his former compatriot and national teammate, Diego Forlan in terms of World Cup goals. With qualification to the next round secure, Suarez should be able to play more freely in their last group encounter against hosts Russia.
Pizzi will be fuming at the manner in which the Saudi Arabia defence paved the red carpet for the goal. Goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais came for the ball, flapped at it, missed it and Suarez was there to guide it into the goal having been invited unmarked in the box.
#2 Saudi Arabia turns up for the tournament, a little bit late
Pizzi, the Saudi Arabia coach will be left scratching his head at how his players failed to play apply themselves against Russia.
Their game against Uruguay was always going to be a no-point fixture but here they played with more cohesiveness and competed. In their own way, they went about their job and were assisted by Uruguay’s ineptness.
One can only describe the game as dull, but then Sweden- South Korea has also set some standards for the time-being and one hopes that it doesn’t catch on among the other teams left in the World Cup.
Injury to Taisir Al-Jassam only added to the misery of going out of the World Cup. That said, the game against Egypt will be a matter of pride as both teams would like to register themselves on points board. With a single goal between both sides, one won’t be surprised if both teams chose to play without handbrakes.
Saudi Arabia for most parts of the game enjoyed possession without doing anything with it and seemed to be at odds whether to attack or not.
The chances they created were half-chances at the most and although the Green Falcons vastly improved from their last outing, they failed to open their account against a defence marshaled by Diego Godin.
#3 Uruguay’s stuttering form a matter of concern
Football tournaments like the World Cup often pose a different set of a challenge as coaches have to take into account factors of peaking too early. That said, Uruguay sorely needs to pick up their style. La Celeste in recent years has entertained and enthralled us with their style of play.
Godin did lose flight of the ball in his own penalty area minutes after Suarez had given them the lead. Fortunately for him and Uruguay, Hattan Bahbir for Saudi Arabia managed to only stab at it but succeeded only in sending it high over the bar.
The Green Falcons matched Uruguay when it came to stamina and competed right till the end. Thankfully, the Falcons rarely looked like swooping on their prey i.e the Uruguay goal, as they failed to trouble the score-sheet.
Carlos Sanchez should have settled the game for all in the 62nd minute but sent his header over the bar.
Sanchez started this game on the back of an encouraging performance against Egypt. Edinson Cavani, another of his team-mates will also be kicking himself for missing out on opportunities to score.
#4 Will Juan Antonio Pizzi continue as Saudi Arabia coach ?
The Argentine-born former Spanish player and coach, Pizzi took over as Saudi Arabia national team manager last November and will now have to wait and see whether the higher-ups chose to continue with him or part ways.
His win-loss record with Saudi Arabia is by far the worst of his career and it will be interesting to see whether they see Pizzi as the man to lead them forward.
Having been the third coach to be appointed since Dutch tactician Bert van Marwijk parted ways with them having led them to automatic qualification.
And it has been a challenging few months for the former Chile football team’s coach. Pizzi heartbreakingly saw his side slip from third to sixth on a dramatic final day of World Cup 2018 Qualification fixture of CONMEBOL, the South American Football Federation.
Saudi Arabia’s performance in this game was all about doggedness and that was something that the team and its supporters will take heart from.
Despite certain limitations, they made Uruguay work for their chances and the central duo of Os Hawsawi and Albulayhi were on their toes every time Uruguay came forward.
#5.Knockout stages beckons for Uruguay
The fact that most of the tournament favourites had indifferent results in the opening round makes it really difficult to predict what advantage the group toppers will get.
Either Portugal or Spain awaits in the next round and Tabarez will hope that his charges are a bit more forceful if they are to entertain progress in the tournament.
Tabarez has battled his health problems to lead this generation of players to another major tournament and his players seem to respond to him every time they take the field.
Despite the displays, Uruguay have been able to chalk up the results when it matters. This speaks a lot about the ethos of the team and the manager.
With Tabarez battling chronic neuropathy and his refusal to even let it impinge his work, his integrity is something which players and compatriots all respect.
It’s been more than a decade, 12 years to be exact since he took over - from youth development to the senior side.
And he has delivered success in the form of a run to 2010 World Cup semi-finals as well as a Copa America. And like all great coaches, he has embraced transition which has kept his side’s style from stagnating and easier to predict.
What did you think about the match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia? Sound off in the comments section below!
