Argentina Wins 2-1 in Group C Opener
"Anything Can Happen in Football"
"Sometimes completely crazy things can happen in football. Anything can happen in football." This was the reaction of Herve Renard, the Saudi Arabia coach, who defeated the favorite Argentina. He could not hide his joy at the unexpected victory.
On the 22nd (local time), Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina 2-1 in the first match of Group C in the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup group stage held at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Although they conceded the opening goal to Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) via a penalty kick, they overturned the result with an equalizer by Saleh Al-Shehri and a go-ahead goal by Salim Al-Dawsari.
Saudi Arabia is ranked 51st in the FIFA rankings, the second lowest among the 32 countries participating in this tournament. Argentina is ranked 3rd. Having remained unbeaten in their last 36 A matches, they were considered strong contenders for the championship. However, after conceding the comeback goal, they showed signs of impatience and missed several opportunities, becoming the victim of a major upset.
Coach Renard said after the match, "A new history has been made that will remain forever in Saudi football. It feels like all the stars in the sky have aligned for us." He also showed respect for the opponent, saying, "We must not forget that Argentina is still a fantastic team."
He is a coach who has led the Ivory Coast and Morocco national teams, as well as Lille in France. He took charge of Saudi Arabia in 2019 when the World Cup qualifiers began in earnest, leading them to the finals, and achieved an astonishing result in the first match. Now, he is focusing on the remaining two group stage matches (Poland and Mexico). Coach Renard said, "Twenty minutes is enough time to celebrate. We have to look ahead."
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