Saudi Arabia Leads Uruguay at Halftime, Sparking Alarm in Uruguay

At the 2026 World Cup in Miami, Saudi Arabia led Uruguay 1-0 after 45 minutes, creating what Uruguayan media described as a major surprise in the tournament’s early days in North America. Uruguay were widely seen as the favorite in the match, making the first-half deficit especially worrying in the South American country.

The main criticism in Uruguay focused on the team’s defensive lapse that allowed Abdullah Al Amari to be left completely unmarked in the box. Local commentators called it “a very cold shower” for Uruguay’s World Cup campaign and said the goal highlighted how badly the side had started.

Uruguayan coverage also singled out Matias Vina as one of the main reasons for the poor opening half. Reports said he had a few good and bad moments, but for most of the 45 minutes he lost balls and looked uncomfortable on the pitch when he was supposed to help launch attacks forward.

The article reflects growing concern in Uruguay that the team’s performance in the first half did not match its status as a favorite, while Saudi Arabia threatened to deliver another upset in the tournament. The match context was still unfolding after halftime, with the result not yet decided in the report.