Uruguay were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw in their World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia on Monday after a late equaliser spared them defeat.
The two-time world champions struggled to cope with Saudi Arabia’s high-intensity pressure late in the first half and were stunned in the 41st minute when Abdulelah Al-Amri broke the deadlock.
Uruguay came out aggressively after the break, almost finding an immediate response as the match quickly shifted into a contest between sustained Uruguayan pressure and a disciplined Saudi defence.
Their breakthrough arrived in the 80th minute when Maxi Araujo finished first time to level the score and secure at least a point.
Captain Federico Valverde nearly completed the comeback in stoppage time, but Mohammed Al-Owais produced a brilliant save to keep Saudi Arabia level.
