On this underwhelming evidence Saudi Arabia must feel quietly confident about their chances of winning a now thoroughly intriguing, expectation-confounding, Group C. Mexico and Poland arrived at this most futuristic arena on the edge of the Arabian Sea after Argentina had been beaten by the Saudis. Poland, in particular, played much of the match as if still in shock.
Although Mexico were largely the better side, they struggled to conjure clear openings. Indeed, they had what is destined to be remembered as one of the great World Cup saves by their 37-year-old goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa, to thank for earning them a point when he kept out Robert Lewandowski’s second-half penalty.
