I only watched the second half, while eating dinner, as I was commuting from camp during the first.
I thought it would be a long afternoon for Saudi Arabia and a breeze for Argentina after Messi scored a very, very soft penalty in the 10th minute.
But my perception of what the game would be like was upended after I tuned in to the game as I got home.
Though many predicted a trouncing, Saudi Arabia were not there to let themselves get walked over nor play a game in damage limitation. They were there to fight.
They assertively played an audacious high line against the tournament’s 2nd-favourites, catching Argentina offside multiple times, demonstrating their hard work on the training ground. They played with gumption, showed more desire than Argentina and swarmed them like bees in their defensive half. They were unafraid to rack up yellow cards, whether for aggressive fouling, dissent or time wastage. With most of their starting eleven from the same club, they played with coordinated courage.
Argentina were not poor though, and launched wave after wave of attack, but were repelled by the grit and belief of the underdogs. Sometimes in football, your opponent scores 2 from 2 shots on target and you just can’t find the net despite dominating the chances.
The Saudis became much more defensive with the turn of the 70th minute as it dawned on them they were on the cusp of making one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. In some situations they were guilty of not pressing the man on the ball, instead shoring up their penalty box with defenders.
Saudi Arabia flooded the pitch in ecstasy when the final whistle blew, as Argentina’s 36-game unbeaten streak gets decimated, a game shy of Italy’s record.
Saudi Arabia’s goalkeeper played like Manuel Neuer and was doubtless the Player of the Match.
Saudi Arabia have declared a national public holiday on the day after their famous win.
BLOGOPUS 