Argentina, who took the lead in the 10th minute with a penalty goal scored by Lionel Messi and dominated throughout the first half, were sure that Argentina would begin their title journey with a win against Saudi Arabia. The moments when the Latin Americans filled the Lusail Maidan in Qatar with an unstoppable attack that made the star polyma come true. Spectators in the galleries with shouts. Still, the Green Jackets waited for the next half, taking coach Hayward’s chants in their ears and then their feet.
In the meantime, the Saudi right eyes shook and three more times Argentina’s progress was balled. Messi once and Lautaro Martinez twice. Everything was caught in the offside trap. The referee’s offside whistle was because Martinez’s legs and body were all right, but his shoulder crossed a bit. Also saw flashes of rough play. All together, things looked like Argentina were cutting the tip of the attack.
The Saudi team that arrived after the break saw drastic changes. The Saudi strategy was to run and catch the counter attack like a well-oiled machine and rush into the opposition half. Salih Alshahri was the scorer in the 48th minute. With that, Salim Aldousari’s winning goal, which has the potential to be one of the best goals of the tournament, was the birth of a truly shocked Messi team.
After a normal move that started on the right wing, the ball reached the penalty box and the Argentina defense knocked it away. But the ball went to the foot of the Saudi player again. Ookan’s shot flew to the left corner of the post and the Argentina defense held on with his header. The ball fell again in the Argentina box due to danger. Later it was the turn of 31-year-old Aldausari who ran away. When Dausari ran straight out with the ball to pass the circled blue-shirted men, more people were in front. A touch or two with the magical touch that transcends everything. The Argentina goalie reached out to touch the ball as it shot towards the top corner, but history had already been made.
This was the second goal in the World Cup for the player who has been a part of the Saudi team for a decade. Undoubtedly the best goal the Qatar World Cup has seen so far. With the game-winning goal, Aldousari is now the hero of every Saudi.
The team that has achieved great success still has a lot of hurdles to overcome. While the benefit of a win will strengthen Saudi Arabia, the road ahead for Argentina will be tougher. The next two must be won. That and Lewandowski’s Poland coached by Biesta and then the American powerhouse Mexico. Argentina’s next game is on Saturday.