Uruguay held to a draw by determined Saudi Arabia in World Cup match

Uruguay's midfielder #20 Maximiliano Araujo celebrated after scoring the equalizer during the 2026 World Cup Group H match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on June 15, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)

Uruguay controlled the game but ended up with a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in the heat of Miami on Monday. This result leaves Group H wide open for all teams.

The draw came after a huge surprise in the World Cup when European champions Spain played to a 0-0 draw with debutants Cape Verde in the same group.

After the first round of matches, all four teams in the group have one point each.

Defender Abdulelah al-Amri gave Saudi Arabia an unexpected lead just before halftime. Uruguay responded with pressure in the second half, equalizing with 10 minutes remaining through Maxi Araujo.

Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay made 22 shots in the second half, but the Saudi defense and goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais stood strong.

"We should have won this match," Bielsa said. He added, "We weren’t able to show the best version of ourselves," admitting his team only really got going after halftime.

Uruguay, who won the World Cup in 1930 and 1950, faced delays getting to the United States from Mexico due to issues with their flight paperwork.

In the evening heat over 30 degrees Celsius and high humidity, both teams found it hard to create chances early in the match.

Just after the half-hour mark, Saudi goalkeeper Owais had to make a second save, stopping a diving header from Federico Vinas from close range.

Saudi Arabia, who previously beat eventual champions Argentina 2-1 to begin their campaign at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, aimed to counterattack against Uruguay.

They had their first real chance just before halftime when al-Amri forced Fernando Muslera to push away his powerful shot.

Four minutes before the break, al-Amri scored, reacting quickly to poke the ball in after Muslera spilled a header from a corner.

After a disappointing first half, Bielsa made changes, taking off defender Matias Vina and striker Darwin Nunez, who had not done much.

Winger Agustin Canobbio and left-sided Juan Manuel Sanabria came on for Uruguay.

This double substitution gave Uruguay a lift. Saudi coach Georgios Donis, who joined the team just two months before the tournament, saw his side drop back further.

Around the hour mark, Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte hit the foot of the Saudi post with a shot from outside the box.

The pressure paid off late in the match when Owais mishandled a simple save, allowing Araujo to score from the rebound.

After that goal, it seemed like Uruguay would win, but Saudi Arabia held on for an important point.