Saudi Arabia beat title favourites Argentina 2-1 at the Lusail Stadium in Doha on Tuesday in one of the greatest World Cup upsets in history.
Doha, Qatar: Today (Wednesday, November 23) has been declared a public holiday in Saudi Arabia across all private and government establishments as well all educational institutions big and small to celebrate the country’s greatest upset in the history of World Cup soccer with their 2-1 victory against favourites Argentina on Tuesday, November 22, a report in the Khaleej Times says.
Saudi Arabia beat title favourites Argentina 2-1 at the Lusail Stadium in Doha on Tuesday in one of the greatest World Cup upsets in history.
But this isn’t the first time a public holiday has been declared after a World Cup win. Cameroon had declared a public holiday after a stellar performance against Argentina in the opening match of 1990’s tournament – often referred to as one of the biggest upsets in football history.
In one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, Saudi Arabia defeated tournament favourites Argentina 2-1 on Tuesday at the magnificent Lusail Stadium in front of 88,012 fans in their Group C match.
The victory gives the Saudis three points, leaving the South American champions in a difficult situation as they face Mexico next and then Poland.
Argentina riding high on an unbeaten streak and their 5-0 drubbing against the UAE, looked poised for another victory. But the Saudis had other plans, and put up a heroic performance to win the hearts of everyone.
Lionel Messi playing his final World Cup game, had the first chance, but his curling effort from 12 yards was saved by goalkeeper Mohamed Alowais.
Argentina’s early dominance paid off when they won a penalty in the eighth minute after Al Bulayahi fouled Paredes in the box.
The referee double-checked his decision with the VAR monitor before Messi scored from the penalty spot to give Argentina the lead in the tenth minute.
Argentina was called offside seven times in the first half as Saudi Arabia maintained a very high line. Although it worked well for them, they were cautious.
Firas Al Brikan got the better of Romero in the box before firing the ball across Martinez and into the bottom right corner for the equalizer. The thundering applause from the Saudi fans nearly shook the stadium to its foundation.
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The Saudis gained confidence at this point, and striker Salem Al Dawsari creates that magical mooment with a curling effort that sailed into the Argentine net to give the Saudis a 2-1 lead.
Argentina pressed hard for an equalizer but to no avail. Slovenian referee Vincic Slavko added eight minutes of extra time as the Argentines pushed for an equaliser but the Saudis held firm.
Saudi goalkeeper who made some brilliant saves against Martinez and Messi’s forays inside the Saudi goal was awarded the man of the match honours.
Harve Renard, the 56-year-old Frenchman and coach of Saudi Arabia, must be credited for his masterful tactics in achieving this result.
Comparing overall performance, Argentina had 70% possession f the ball to Saudi Arabia’s 30%, with six yellow cards shown,. Argentina had seven corner kicks to one for their opponent, and the Saudis committed 21 fouls in the game. The Messi-led team had four shots on goal, while the Saudis converted their two chances to earn a memorable victory over the two-time world champions.
‘It is our victory’: Emiratis rejoice
Emiratis across the UAE expressed a sense of immense elation, with many celebrating from the comfort of their homes with their families and friends. Others took to the streets to celebrate, with a few even hitting the desert.
Emirati Jaber Al Jasimi noted that this win is not only for Saudi, but for the entire GCC. “Any country in the GCC [winning] is our success. This is one of the happiest moments [for us] this year, and we are incredibly happy and delighted to share this happiness with our brothers across the border.”
Salem Khadem Suroor Al Masam said that any country in the GCC feels like his own. “We are one family. We have families there in Saudi Arabia. It is [certainly] a big win for us, and we are an important part of the celebration,” said Al Masam.
“However, I am a bit old now to go out on the streets with my cars – but I have planned a celebration for family and friends at home.”
Saeed Adel Al Rustumani expressed a similar sentiment. “It’s [a] victory for Arabs…. We cannot express our happiness, it is just beyond. This calls for a massive celebration, and I am all geared up for a fun evening with my family.”
Celebrations from Doha
Entrepreneur Abdul Azeez Al Mher in Doha to witness the high-octane match between Saudi Arabia and Argentina. Said “Our celebrations all across the GCC countries have already started, and congratulatory messages from my family residing in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi, and the UAE began as our win was declared,” he added.
Celebrations among expats
Mohamed Kayed, an Egyptian who had just arrived in Saudi for work, said that he was pleasantly surprised with the result. “The Argentinian team is strong, but the Saudi team played very well
Mawada Al Wazir, a Saudi national living in Dubai, explained that she took her kids out of school earlier today to watch the match.
“I stayed for the rest of the match and thought it was very good!” she said, adding that her family was very happy. Her son, Mohammad Moawaad, 13, described today as one of the best days of his life, and his country’s history.
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