Araujo Earns Uruguay a Point Against Saudi Arabia

MIAMI, 15 June 2026 – Uruguay battled back to secure a valuable 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in a fiercely contested FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H encounter at Miami Stadium.

The result leaves Group H perfectly balanced after World Cup debutants Cabo Verde stunned Spain with a goalless draw earlier in the day, meaning all four teams sit level after the opening round of matches.

Uruguay started the brighter side and nearly opened the scoring early on. Maxi Araujo forced an excellent save from Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais before the Al-Hilal shot-stopper produced another outstanding stop to deny Federico Viñas from close range.

Saudi Arabia gradually grew into the contest and threatened from set pieces. Fernando Muslera reacted brilliantly to keep out a snap-shot from defender Abdulelah Al Amri, but Uruguay failed to learn their lesson.

The breakthrough arrived in the 41st minute when Mohamed Kanno’s header was parried by Muslera following a corner kick. Al Amri reacted quickest to the loose ball, firing home from close range to give the Green Falcons a deserved lead before halftime.

Uruguay pushed forward after the break in search of an equaliser. Federico Viñas came close with another header, while Manuel Ugarte rattled the crossbar with a thunderous long-range effort that left Al-Owais rooted to the spot.

As Saudi Arabia dropped deeper to protect their advantage, Uruguay intensified the pressure. Their persistence was finally rewarded in the 80th minute when Viñas’ powerful header was spilled by Al-Owais, allowing Maxi Araujo to pounce on the rebound and level the score.

Federico Valverde almost completed the comeback late on, but Al-Owais once again came to Saudi Arabia’s rescue with another crucial save to preserve a valuable point for his side.

The match also produced a historic milestone for Uruguay. At 39 years and 364 days old, veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera became the oldest player ever to represent Uruguay at a FIFA World Cup, surpassing the previous record held by Diego Godín.

Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde was named the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match after an influential display in the heart of midfield.

After the match, Saudi Arabia captain Salem Al-Dawsari remained optimistic about his team's chances of progressing.

“It was a good start, and I believe we deserved to win. Step by step, we can qualify for the next round. We came here to win and go as far as possible, not just to take part.”

With all four Group H teams tied after Matchday 1, the race for qualification remains completely open heading into the next round of fixtures.