MIAMI — Uruguay avoided an opening-match upset at the 2026 FIFA World Cup thanks to a late equalizer from Maximiliano Araújo, earning a 1-1 draw against a determined Saudi Arabia side on Monday night in Group H.
Saudi Arabia, which famously stunned eventual champions Argentina in its opening match of the 2022 World Cup, looked poised for another memorable result after defender Abdulelah Al-Amri scored late in the first half. But Uruguay’s relentless second-half pressure finally paid off when Araújo struck in the 80th minute to rescue a point for Marcelo Bielsa’s team.
The result leaves Group H wide open after Spain was surprisingly held to a scoreless draw by Cape Verde earlier in the day, meaning all four teams sit on one point after the opening round of matches.
Uruguay entered the tournament as one of South America’s most talented squads, led by stars such as Federico Valverde, Manuel Ugarte and Darwin Núñez. But the two-time World Cup champions struggled to find their rhythm during a sluggish first half against an organized Saudi defense.
Federico Viñas produced Uruguay’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes when his header was turned away by Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais in the 30th minute. Saudi Arabia nearly broke through eight minutes later from a corner kick when Al-Amri’s header forced veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera into a strong save.
The breakthrough came in the 41st minute. After Muslera denied Mohamed Kanno’s initial header, Al-Amri reacted quickest to the rebound and poked home from close range, sending Saudi supporters into celebration and giving the underdogs a 1-0 lead.
Uruguay emerged from halftime with far greater urgency and controlled possession for much of the second half. Ugarte came agonizingly close to equalizing just after the hour mark when his low drive from distance struck the post. Al-Owais continued to frustrate the South Americans with a series of impressive saves as Saudi Arabia attempted to protect its lead.
The pressure finally broke the Saudi resistance with 10 minutes remaining. Viñas’ header was saved by Al-Owais, but the rebound fell kindly to Araújo, who guided the ball into the net from close range to level the score at 1-1.
Uruguay nearly completed the comeback in stoppage time. Brian Rodríguez curled a shot narrowly wide before Al-Owais produced outstanding saves to deny Nicolás de la Cruz and Valverde, preserving a valuable point for Saudi Arabia.
Despite recording the majority of possession and significantly outshooting Saudi Arabia, Uruguay was unable to find a winner. Saudi Arabia’s disciplined defensive performance and another standout display from Al-Owais ensured the Gulf nation earned a result that could prove crucial in the race to advance from the group.
For Bielsa and Uruguay, the draw serves as a warning that nothing will come easily in a tournament already producing surprises. For Saudi Arabia, it was another reminder that the team remains capable of frustrating the world’s traditional powers on soccer’s biggest stage.