Ronald Araújo’s header eight minutes from time rescued Uruguay from the brink of a humiliating defeat as the South Americans were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia at a half-empty Hard Rock Stadium, leaving Group H wide open after Cape Verde’s earlier shock against Spain.
The Barcelona centre-back rose unmarked to meet Federico Valverde’s inswinging corner, heading past Nawaf Al-Aqidi to cancel out Salem Al-Dawsari’s stunning 34th-minute strike. For an hour and a half, the Saudis – four years on from their famous 2-1 win over Argentina in Lusail – appeared poised to author another World Cup ambush. Instead they will reflect on a missed opportunity that leaves Hervé Renard’s side level on one point with Uruguay, Spain and Cape Verde after the opening round of fixtures.
A second Saudi shock denied at the death
Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay arrived in Miami as Group H favourites, buoyed by a year-long unbeaten qualifying run that had reignited memories of the side that reached the 2010 semi-finals. What unfolded across 90 minutes bore little resemblance to that swagger. Saudi Arabia pressed in coordinated waves, harried Valverde and Manuel Ugarte off the ball, and turned Darwin Núñez’s afternoon into a study in frustration – the Liverpool striker registering just 14 touches before being withdrawn on 71 minutes.
Al-Dawsari’s goal was the kind of moment Renard had drilled into his squad during the build-up. Firas Al-Buraikan won possession high up the pitch from a stray Mathías Olivera pass, fed Mohamed Kanno, and the Al-Hilal winger drove in from the left before curling a left-footed strike beyond Sergio Rochet’s outstretched glove. It was Al-Dawsari’s seventh international goal and the first scored by an Asian Football Confederation player in this tournament.
Saudi Arabia almost doubled the lead twice before the interval. Al-Buraikan dragged wide from 12 yards after Olivera’s stumble, and Salman Al-Faraj’s free-kick whistled inches over José María Giménez’s bar. By the time Araújo struck, Renard had already withdrawn his captain to preserve legs for the showdown with Spain in Atlanta on Friday.
Empty seats and Fifa’s marketing problem
The Miami staging will trouble Fifa’s commercial team more than the result. Official ticketing platforms listed just seven seats remaining at kick-off, yet large pockets of the upper tier sat conspicuously empty, with concourse vendors visibly idle deep into the second half. Reports of resale platforms demanding upwards of $480 for category-three seats – up from a face value of $145 – appear to have hit a price ceiling even in a market as accustomed to premium sporting entertainment as South Florida.
The empty-seat phenomenon, already noted during Mexico’s opener in Guadalajara and Canada’s victory in Toronto, points to a structural concern. Fifa moved more than 80% of its general-sale inventory through dynamic pricing for the first time, and the secondary market has, in several venues, simply refused to clear at the inflated asking prices. With 26 matches still to be staged in the United States during the group stage, the governing body faces uncomfortable questions about whether the model that delivered record revenue projections will deliver the televised atmosphere broadcasters were promised.
Group H reopens with everything to play for
The afternoon’s earlier drama in Mexico City, where Cape Verde stunned Spain 2-2 after Bruno Varela’s penalty save from Lamine Yamal, has redrawn the group’s complexion entirely. Luis de la Fuente’s side had been installed as 4/11 favourites to finish top; they now sit second on goal difference, level with the three other teams on a single point.
Uruguay travel to Houston to face Cape Verde on Friday in what has become a must-win fixture. Bielsa, never one for diplomatic language, was withering in his post-match assessment, describing the performance as “the worst 70 minutes I have witnessed from this group” and confirming that captain Giménez is doubtful with a hamstring tightness picked up in the second half. Núñez, too, was visibly limping as he departed the pitch.
For Saudi Arabia, the mood was rather different. Renard, who left Saudi employment in 2023 before returning last year, declared himself “proud but not satisfied” and pointed to Friday’s meeting with Spain in Atlanta as the moment that will define their tournament. On this evidence, no team in Group H can yet be discounted – and Fifa’s marketing department, whatever happens next, has rather more pressing concerns than the football itself.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
226 articles published
