Saudi Arabia produced a resilient display to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Uruguay in their opening Group H match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night.
Although Uruguay eventually found a way back into the contest, Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais emerged as the standout performer after delivering a series of impressive saves to help secure a valuable point for his side.
Saudi Arabia took the lead in the 41st minute through Abdulelah Al-Amri after sustained pressure inside the Uruguayan penalty area. Mohamed Kanno’s header forced veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera into a save, but the rebound fell kindly for Al-Amri, who reacted quickest to poke the ball home and send Saudi supporters into celebration.
The goal gave Saudi Arabia a deserved advantage heading into halftime and briefly raised hopes of a major upset against the two-time world champions.
Uruguay responded strongly after the break, increasing the tempo and creating more opportunities as the match progressed. Changes from head coach Marcelo Bielsa injected urgency into the South American side, who dominated possession and forced Saudi Arabia deeper into defence.
Al-Owais repeatedly came to his team’s rescue, producing several outstanding stops, including a crucial save to push Manuel Ugarte’s effort onto the post midway through the second half.
However, the pressure finally told in the 80th minute when Maxi Araújo capitalised after Al-Owais could only parry Federico Viñas’ header into his path, allowing the winger to slot home the equaliser.
Uruguay pushed for a late winner as the pace of the game intensified in Miami’s demanding conditions, but Saudi Arabia held firm to preserve the draw.
While Uruguay may feel disappointed not to complete the comeback, Saudi Arabia will take confidence from a disciplined performance led by the heroics of Al-Owais as both teams opened their Group H campaign with a point each.
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