A Lionel Messi goal wasn't enough as Argentina, one of the favorites to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, suffered a 2-1 loss against Saudi Arabia.
The South American champion and one of the tournament favorites slumped to a 2-1 loss against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, in a deflating start to Messi’s quest to win the one major title that has eluded him.
Messi gave Argentina the lead in the 10th minute with a coolly dispatched penalty, and the match had the makings of a routine win for the defending Copa America champion, which were on a 36-match unbeaten run.Goals by Saleh Alshehri and Salem Aldawsari in a five-minute span early in the second half gave the Saudis a landmark result in the first World Cup staged in the Middle East. The Saudis’ previous biggest win was 1-0 over Belgium at the 1994 World Cup.
The unlikely victory was sealed by a somersault by Aldawsari, who brought down a high ball just inside the penalty area, spun Nahuel Molina with the help of a ricochet, jinked past Leandro Paredes and drove a powerful shot to the far corner in the 53rd.
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