Argentina national team and Lionel Messi are shocked in a frustrating world cup opener at Doha. The South America most recent champions started their first world cup match with confidence scoring an early goal. The 8th-minute penalty awarded following a VAR check helped Argentina lead through the composed Messi kick which made him the first Argentinian to score in four World Cups.
La Albiceleste then carried on putting their opponent under pressure and scored two more goals which were both disallowed by VAR. The first half came to an end in thorough dominance of the Blue and Whites.
Nevertheless, nobody would expect a completely different second half from the match. Saleh Al Shehri shocked the powerful opponent by beating Martinez and scoring the equalizer in the 48th minute. After just five minutes, it was Salem Al Dowsari’s turn to stun the title-seeking Argentina with an astonishing strike that overturned the result.
The incredible performance from Saudi Arabia’s goalkeeper helped the Arabian Falcons maintain their lead until the end, and they eventually celebrated a massive win in their nation’s history.
At the other side, the 36-game unbeaten run of Argentina comes to an end, while they had come to Qatar showing a high level of confidence after five consecutive wins.