The 2022 Qatar World Cup kicked off less than 48 hours ago and already might’ve seen its most surprising moment.
Saudi Arabia—ranked 51st in the world—stunned Argentina, one of the tournament’s favorites, on Tuesday, coming from behind to secure a 2–1 in each side’s opening match in Group C play. The upset, which also ended Argentina’s 36-game winning streak in international play, is already being regarded as one of the biggest in World Cup history.
Lionel Messi got Argentina on the board first, scoring casually on a penalty kick to give his side a 1–nil advantage in the 10th minute. However, Saudi Arabia struck back less than three minutes into the second half when Saleh Al-Shehri equalized with a bouncing shot to the far post.
Just five minutes later, Saudi Arabia was back on the attack when the ball landed at the feet of Salem Al-Dawsari. The winger navigated through a collection of Argentinian defenders before sending a rocket into the back of the net that gave his side a 2–1 lead.
Despite a few late chances from Messi and Argentina, the final whistle sounded with Saudi Arabia still ahead. The victory gave Saudi Arabia three points and an early lead in Group C, while Argentina dropped to the bottom of the table after just one match.
Given the expectations for each side coming into the tournament, social media was stunned at the result, which came in before most of the fans in the United States were awake. Still, Twitter was plenty active once the match came to a close with reactions pouring in from around the world.
