Argentina lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in the first round of Group C of the 2022 World Cup. Lionel Messi scored, but Saudi Arabia scored twice after three disallowed goals. Argentina’s 36-match unbeaten streak was brought to an end.
Argentina is the first team in World Cup history to start four players over the age of 34, including Messi, Nicolas Otamendi, Angel Di Maria, and Carlos Gomez. Al-Auwais saved Messi’s 15-yard shot from a melee after just two minutes.
In the 10th minute, Abdulhamid brought down Paredes in the penalty area while defending a set piece, and the referee, after watching replays through the VAR alert, awarded the penalty, and Messi hit the penalty low. Messi surpassed Batistuta and Maradona to become the first Argentine player to score in four World Cups. It was his seventh World Cup goal.
In the 22nd minute, Gomez through the ball, and Messi’s single shot was disallowed for offside. In the 27th minute, De Paulo through the ball, Lautaro’s single shot to break, and because of offside in the first, was disallowed. In the 35th minute, Messi’s through ball was waved into the open net by Lautaro, who was disallowed for offside.
The Saudis equalized in the 48th minute when Al-Brekan passed, and Al-Shehri burst into the top left corner of the small box and fired low into the far corner. Saudi Arabia back in the 53rd minute, al-Dawsari stopped the ball on the left side of the penalty area and turned to continuously shake several people before the edge of the penalty area into the far corner, 2-1.