Saudi Arabia 1-2 Mexico Highlights, FIFA World Cup: Win not enough as Mexico gets knocked out of World Cup on goal difference

Highlights of the Saudi Arabia vs Mexico FIFA World Cup Group C match at the Lusail Stadium.

Updated : Dec 01, 2022 02:52 IST

Jesus Gallardo (L) and Cesar Montes of Mexico react after conceding a goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Saudi Arabia and Mexico at Lusail Stadium.
Jesus Gallardo (L) and Cesar Montes of Mexico react after conceding a goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Saudi Arabia and Mexico at Lusail Stadium. | Photo Credit: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
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Jesus Gallardo (L) and Cesar Montes of Mexico react after conceding a goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Saudi Arabia and Mexico at Lusail Stadium. | Photo Credit: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Welcome to Sportstar’s highlights of the Saudi Arabia vs Mexico FIFA World Cup Group C match at the Lusail Stadium.

FULL-TIME!!

Mexico is out of the World despite winning 2-1 against Saudi Arabia. Poland edges Mexico on goal difference and qualifies for the Round of 16 stage. Argentina qualifies as Group C topper and Poland is the group-runner up.

90+5’

GOOOALLLLL!! SAUDI SCORES!! IT IS AL-DAWSARI!! SURELY THAT’S OVER FOR MEXICO!! Al Dawsari plays a good one-two and slots the ball into the net. It is heartbreak for Mexico.

90+4’

Lozano cuts in from the left and fires the shot above the goal.

90+1’

Booking: Saudi’s Al Amri sees a yellow card. Theoretically, he misses the next match but Saudi Arabia’s World Cup campaign is over.

90’

Seven minutes added at the end of the second-half. That is all what Mexico has.

88’

MEXICO DENIED AGAIN- Antuna puts the ball inside the box but he is flagged for offside. He ran behind the Saudi defence a bit too early.

87’

Mexico sub: IN- Mori, Kevin Alvarez OUT- Alvarez, Sanchez

83’

Lozano sets up Chavez for the shot but the latter’s effort is blocked by the rushing Saudi wall. The touch gave the Saudi player a chance to close Chavez down.

81’

Booking: Saudi’s Madu sees a yellow for the foul.

81’

Lozano is brought down right outside the box and Mexico has a freekick in a dangerous position. It has to make something of it.

78’

CHANCE- Antuna almost finds the net for Mexico but his shot is blocked. What drama this is, folks.

77’

Mexico subs: IN- Jimenez, Rodriguez OUT- Martin, Pineda

76’

Pineda shoots from distance but it is wide. Mexico throwing the kitchen-sink right now.

74’

Al Owais comes charging out of his box in a race to clear the ball. He collides with Lozano but none of them gets hurt fortunately. Play resumes.

72’

Chavez takes a free-kick from almost the exact same position as the one where he scored. He finds the target again but this time, Owaisi flies to his right and parries the shot.

70’

Lozano delivers a good cross inside the box but Abdulhamid clears the ball.

Mexico searching desperately for another goal. As things stand, they are out of the World Cup courtesy of Poland having a better disciplinary record than them.

BIG NEWS!!
Argentina has taken a 2-0 (Mac Allister, Alavarez) lead against Poland in the other match. This means Mexico and Poland are level on all aspects except discipline.
64’

Saudi has been completely blown away by the Mexican onslaught in the second-half.

62’

Saudi Arabia sub: IN- Alobud OUT- Alshehri

58’

Another delicious ball inside the Saudi box from a Mexico corner but nothing comes from it. Mexico has come out all guns blazing.

56’

GOAL DISALLOWED- Lozano throught his strike has given Mexico its third goal but it is ruled out for offside.

53’

GOOOALLLLL!!! MEXICO GETS IT SECOND!! CHAVEZ WITH A WORLDIE!! Chavez goes for goal directly from the freekick. He whips the ball from 30 yards. The ball flies over the wall and ends up into the top corner. What a hit.

52’

Booking: Tambakti becomes the latest player to see yellow.

47’

GOOOALLLL!!! MEXICO TAKES THE LEAD!! MARTIN FINDS THE NET!! Montes delivers the ball to the near post from an in-swinging corner and Martin is there at the back post to side-foot the ball inside the net. 

46’

Mexico sub: IN- Antuna OUT- Vega

Saudi Arabia sub: IN- Madu OUT- Alhassan

SECOND-HALF!!

Scores level at 0-0 as the second-half kicks-off!!

HALF-TIME!!

Scores are level in the match in the Group C match between the Saudi Arabia and Mexico

HT update from Poland vs Argentina: The other group C game happening between Poland and Argentina at Stadium 974 is goalless at HT. Lionel Messi has missed his penalty.

45+6’

Al Ghana makes a good run down the right and swings in a good cross inside the box. The cross finds Al Hassan but he heads it wide.

45+4’

Al-Buraikan thought he was clear on goal after being played a good through ball by Al-Dawsari but he is bundled over. Kanna looks at the referee but gets no sympathy from him.

45+1’

Saudi has not done well in the first-half in terms of chance creation but has defended with all its heart. Mexico really should have scored at least one by now.

45’

Six added minutes at the end of the first-half!!

45’

Vega cuts inside the Saudi box and tries to shoot but the shot is blocked.

41’

Pineda does well to get inside the box and take his shot. However, the shot is deflected just behind. The corner following that is cleared easily.

35’

Mexico delivers a ball inside the box but it is clared away by the Saudi Arabia defence for a corner.

34’

Booking: Saudi’s Ali Alhassan sees a yellow card for taking down Chavez.

27’

Chance- Mexico’s Lozano whips in a wonderful cross from the right and Pineda meets it with a diving header. The ball deflects off a Saudi Arabia defender and goes out of immediate danger.

25’

Chance- The ball breaks for Mexico’s Pineda in the penalty area, but Al Amri and Tambakti do very well to throw themselves at the shot, which takes the power out of it. Al Owais gets down and holds the ball.

23’

Chavez shoots on the volley from distance but the shot is straight at Owaisi.

22’

Mexico has enjoyed 73% of the ball till now and its dominance on the ball is quite evident.

20’

Saudi Arabia not being able to create much from open play. Mexico moving the ball around much more comfortably and looks the more likely team to get the first goal.

15’

Booking: Mexico’s Alvarez goes into the book for bringing down Tambakti.

13’

Kanno takes the freekick but cannot keep his shot down. The ball goes out for a Mexico goalkick.

12’

Saudi Arabia has a freekick in a very good position and Al-Dawsari lining to take the set-piece.

11’

Chavez tries his best to keep the ball alive on the left flank but the pass played is too heavy and he fails to do so.

10’

A long ball is played towards the Mexican box but there is no Saudi player to attack it. It is an easy take for Ochoa at the end.

7’

A cross inside the box puts Owaisi under pressure. He waits for the ball to come to him, which was not the best decision as Gallardo got a header away. Eventually, the whistle is blown for offside.

7’

Al-Dawsari stays down after taking a knock. He gets medical attention and should be okay to continue. He goes off the pitch momentarily.

5’

Mexico with all the pressure in the opening minutes of the half.

3’

Save- Vega is played a brilliant through ball and he was clear on goal. But Owais comes off his line and makes a solid save to deny an early goal for Mexico.

2’

Chavez takes a shot from distance but he does not catch it well. The ball goes out for a goalkick.

1’

Mexico putting the Saudi backline right from the starting whistle.

KICK-OFF!!

AND WE ARE UNDERWAY!! Mexico and Saudi Arabia kick-off their Group C match at the Lusail Stadium.

12:26 AM: Teams are singing their national anthem. Kick-off less than five minutes away.

Less than 15 minutes to kick-off. The fans are ready!!

Mexico fans show their support prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Saudi Arabia and Mexico at Lusail Stadium.
Mexico fans show their support prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Saudi Arabia and Mexico at Lusail Stadium. | Photo Credit: Francois Nel/Getty Images
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Mexico fans show their support prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Saudi Arabia and Mexico at Lusail Stadium. | Photo Credit: Francois Nel/Getty Images

STAT-ATTACK!!

  • Mexico has never lost against Saudi Arabia in all competitions (W4 D1) with all five meetings between the sides coming from 1995 and 1999.
  • Saudi Arabia is looking to qualify for the knockouts of the World Cup for only a second time, and first since its first-ever participation in 1994, when it was eventually eliminated by Sweden in the second round.
  • Saudi Arabia has kept just one clean sheet in its 18 matches at the World Cup, conceding 42 goals in the final.
Mexico vs Saudi Arabia starting lineups!!
Saudi Arabia: Mohamed Al-Owais, Sultan Al-Ghanam, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Hassan Tambakti, Mohamed Kanno, Saud Abdulhamid, Ali Al-Hassan, Saleh Al-Shehri, Salem Al-Dawsari, Firas Al-Buraikan
Mexico: Guillermo Ochoa, Cesar Montes, Edson Alvarez, Alexis Vega, Hector Moreno, Orbelin Pineda, Jorge Sanchez, Henry Martin, Hirving Lozano, Jesus Gallardo, Luis Chavez

Match Preview

Mexico is going to have to suddenly find goals — and perhaps even several of them — to extend its knockout-round streak at the World Cup.

Mexico has reached the round of 16 at the last seven World Cups, tied for the longest current streak with Brazil. But in Qatar, El Tri sits at the bottom of Group C ahead of a must-win match against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday at Lusail Stadium.

The last time Mexico played at football’s biggest tournament and didn’t advance out of its group was in 1978.

But it’s not quite as simple as winning: El Tri must also get help. They’ll need Poland to beat Lionel Messi and Argentina at the exact same time at Stadium 974.

That’s the easiest way forward for Mexico. Beyond that, it gets complicated. If Mexico does its job and wins but Argentina, one of the tournament’s favourites, also wins, then goal difference comes into play.

The problem is, Mexico has no goals yet in Qatar.

In fact, El Tri hasn’t scored in 384 straight minutes at the World Cup, dating back to their second group match at the 2018 tournament in Russia.

“We believe in our chances. We hold on to our chances,” said veteran Mexico midfielder Andres Guardado, who is appearing in his fifth World Cup. “And obviously we will try until the very end.”

The drought was extended Saturday with a 2-0 loss to Argentina. Neither team scored in Mexico’s opener against Poland.

Mexico hasn’t been eliminated from the group stage since the tournament in Argentina 44 years ago. El Tri didn’t qualify for the 1982 World Cup in Spain and was banned from the 1990 event in Italy for using overage players at an under-20 tournament.

Since then, Mexico has advanced to the round of 16 in its last seven appearances — but no further. El Tri came to Qatar looking to play in an elusive “quinto partido” — a fifth game — for the first time since Mexico hosted the tournament in 1986.

“In the next game we have no more chances,” Mexico forward Henry Martin said. “We have to score the goals that we can, and not worry about what happens in the other game.”

With the lack of goals, the criticism of Mexico coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino grew. He had already been questioned over some of his choices, including his decision to leave all-time leading scorer Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez off the team.

Hernandez, who now plays for the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer, scored the team’s last goal in a 2-1 group-stage victory over South Korea in Russia. LAFC forward Carlos Vela, who also fell out of favour in the national team, scored the other.

Martino could be looking for a new job if Mexico doesn’t advance after playing Saudi Arabia, a team that pulled off one of the tournament’s biggest upsets ever when it beat Argentina 2-1 in its opener.

“Not getting through would leave a lot of frustration,” Martino said Tuesday. “We need the goals to win, that is what it takes to keep us here.”

Saudi Arabia couldn’t pull off another upset Saturday when it fell to Poland 2-0. The Saudis reached the round of 16 back in 1994, the team’s World Cup debut, but hasn’t made it past the group stage since.

“We will play to the last second of this tournament and we will not give up,” Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard said.

Nawaf Al-Abed sustained an ankle injury against Poland and it was unclear if he would be available against Mexico.

-AP

Mexico vs Saudi Arabia Predicted XI
Saudi Arabia possible XI: Alowais(GK); Abdulhamid, Al-Amri, Tambakti, Al-Ghannam; Kanno; Al-Buraikan, Al-Hassan, Al-Najei, Al-Dawsari; Al-Shehri
Mexico possible XI: Ochoa(GK); Sanchez, Moreno, Montes, Gallardo; Herrera, Guardado, Chavez; Lozano, Jimenez, Vega

When will the Mexico vs Saudi Arabia match kick-off?

The Mexico vs Saudi Arabia match will kick-off at 12:30 AM IST, December 1.

Where will the Mexico vs Saudi Arabia match kick-off?

The Mexico vs Saudi Arabia match will kick-off at the Lusail stadium.

Where can you watch the Mexico vs Saudi Arabia match in India?

The Mexico vs Saudi Arabia match will be telecasted live on Sports18 and Sports18 HD. On Android and well as iOS, the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be live streamed on JioCinema.

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