MIAMI: For 80 minutes, with a storm brewing high above the Miami Stadium, it looked like lightning might strike twice. Saudi Arabia, in the opening match of a World Cup and against blue-and-white-shirted South Americans once again, appeared destined to cause another shock, four years after their last. At World Cup 2022 in Qatar, Saudi winger Salem Al-Dawsari wrote global headlines when his rocket proved the difference, delivering his Green Falcons a 2-1 win over Argentina to become the first — and, it would prove, only — team to defeat the eventual champions.

The Saudis pulled off a huge upset in their opening game of the 2022 World Cup against South American opposition.

Saudi Arabia fans hope to showcase Arab sport culture as World Cup fever grips South Beach