FIFA World Cup - Group C
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia1MexicoMexico2

World Cup 2022: Saudi Arabia 1-2 Mexico - Gerardo Martino's side out on goal difference

By Shamoon HafezBBC Sport at Lusail Stadium, Doha

Mexico defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1 but agonisingly went out of the World Cup on goal difference on a night of incredible drama in Doha.

With Argentina beating Poland 2-0 in Group C at Stadium 974 and Mexico leading by the same scoreline at Lusail Stadium in the 94th minute, Gerardo Martino's side needed one more goal to prevent them from going out according to Fifa's fair play rule.

Salem Al Dawsari's added-time consolation goal for Saudi Arabia sent the distraught Mexicans home on goal difference instead, leaving Poland's players to celebrate across the city.

After a stop-start first half with little rhythm to it, the match burst into life two minutes after the break as Henry Martin reacted quickest to finish Cesar Montes' flick on.

Mexico fans had barely calmed their celebrations before Luis Chavez curled a glorious 30-yard free-kick into the top corner to send their supporters into pandemonium.

They thought they had another but Hirving Lozano's low strike was chalked off for offside and Martin should have had a second but volleyed over from 12 yards out.

It was all Mexico as they pushed for further goals. Chavez nearly struck another stunning free-kick but Mohammed Al Owais palmed it out, then OrbelĂ­n Pineda curled narrowly wide.

Mexico thought they had sealed progression when Uriel Antuna stroked in late on, but that too was flagged for offside and they went out in the most excruciating manner.

Agony for Mexico

The first half was one to forget, the drama in the second will live long in the memory.

It was absolute chaos before the game, with thousands of Saudi fans making the trip across the border for a game in which victory would have secured a place in the knockout stage.

But they never really managed to put Mexico under pressure and ultimately both sides went out of the competition.

At one stage, Mexico were set to be knocked out because they had collected more yellow cards (seven) than Poland (five), with the two teams level on points and goal difference.

While Al Dawsari's late goal changed little, Mexico fans were still left dejected at full-time, with some staying long after the final whistle with their head in their hands.

Martin's opener from close range and Chavez's peach of a free-kick gave them hope, but two disallowed goals crushed any optimism of advancing out of the group.

The result ends a sequence of progression to the round of 16, having done so at the previous eight World Cups, a run stretching back to 1978.

For Saudi Arabia, the tournament ends in disappointment by finishing bottom of the group despite an opening game victory over Argentina that will go down as one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.

Mohamed Kanno had his chances, shanking wide from the angle and curling a free-kick narrowly over, while Ali Al Hassan almost headed in on the stroke of half-time.

The stadium was filled mostly with raucous Saudi supporters and they went home with one final cheer as Al Dawsari coolly converted late on.

Player of the match

ChĂĄvezLuis ChĂĄvez

with an average of 7.79

Saudi Arabia

  1. Squad number10Player nameSalem Al Dawsari
    Average rating

    7.48

  2. Squad number26Player nameRiyadh Sharahili
    Average rating

    6.98

  3. Squad number3Player nameAbdullah Madu
    Average rating

    6.92

  4. Squad number17Player nameHassan Tambakti
    Average rating

    6.88

  5. Squad number23Player nameMohammed Kanno
    Average rating

    6.85

  6. Squad number19Player nameHattan Bahbri
    Average rating

    6.85

  7. Squad number11Player nameSaleh Al Shehri
    Average rating

    6.75

  8. Squad number4Player nameAbdulelah Al Amri
    Average rating

    6.74

  9. Squad number20Player nameAbdulrahman Al Obud
    Average rating

    6.71

  10. Squad number5Player nameAli Al Bulayhi
    Average rating

    6.61

  11. Squad number15Player nameAli Al Hassan
    Average rating

    6.60

  12. Squad number12Player nameSaud Abdulhamid
    Average rating

    6.33

  13. Squad number9Player nameFeras Al Brikan
    Average rating

    6.15

  14. Squad number2Player nameSultan Al Ghannam
    Average rating

    6.14

  15. Squad number21Player nameMohammed Al Owais
    Average rating

    6.00

Mexico

  1. Squad number24Player nameChĂĄvez
    Average rating

    7.79

  2. Squad number13Player nameOchoa
    Average rating

    7.63

  3. Squad number4Player nameÁlvarez
    Average rating

    7.62

  4. Squad number10Player nameVega
    Average rating

    7.57

  5. Squad number22Player nameLozano
    Average rating

    7.22

  6. Squad number19Player nameSĂĄnchez
    Average rating

    7.18

  7. Squad number20Player nameMartĂ­n
    Average rating

    7.17

  8. Squad number3Player nameMontes
    Average rating

    7.08

  9. Squad number17Player namePineda
    Average rating

    7.06

  10. Squad number21Player nameAntuna
    Average rating

    6.97

  11. Squad number26Player nameÁlvarez
    Average rating

    6.95

  12. Squad number8Player nameRodrĂ­guez
    Average rating

    6.64

  13. Squad number23Player nameGallardo
    Average rating

    6.64

  14. Squad number9Player nameJiménez
    Average rating

    6.63

  15. Squad number15Player nameMoreno
    Average rating

    6.55

  16. Squad number11Player nameFunes Mori
    Average rating

    6.50

Line-ups

Saudi Arabia

Formation 4-4-2

  • 21Al Owais
  • 2Al GhannamSubstituted forBahbriat 88'minutesBooked at 90mins
  • 4Al AmriBooked at 90mins
  • 17Al TambaktiBooked at 52mins
  • 5Al BulayhiSubstituted forSharahiliat 37'minutes
  • 9Al Brikan
  • 15Al HassanBooked at 34minsSubstituted forMaduat 45'minutesBooked at 81mins
  • 12Abdulhamid
  • 10Al Dawsari
  • 11Al ShehriBooked at 28minsSubstituted forAl Obudat 62'minutes
  • 23Kanno

Substitutes

  • 1Al Rubaie Al Yami
  • 3Madu
  • 14Otayf
  • 16Al Naji
  • 18Al Abid
  • 19Bahbri
  • 20Al Obud
  • 22Al Suweiti Al Aqidi
  • 24Al Shardan Al Dawsari
  • 25Asiri
  • 26Sharahili

Mexico

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 13Ochoa
  • 19SĂĄnchezSubstituted forÁlvarezat 86'minutes
  • 3Montes
  • 15Moreno
  • 23Gallardo
  • 4ÁlvarezBooked at 16minsSubstituted forFunes Moriat 86'minutes
  • 24ChĂĄvez
  • 22Lozano
  • 17PinedaSubstituted forRodrĂ­guezat 77'minutes
  • 10VegaSubstituted forAntunaat 45'minutes
  • 20MartĂ­nSubstituted forJimĂ©nezat 77'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Talavera
  • 2AraĂșjo
  • 5VĂĄsquez
  • 6Arteaga
  • 7Romo
  • 8RodrĂ­guez
  • 9JimĂ©nez
  • 11Funes Mori
  • 12Cota
  • 14GutiĂ©rrez
  • 16Herrera
  • 18Guardado
  • 21Antuna
  • 25Alvarado
  • 26Álvarez
Referee:
Michael Oliver
Attendance:
84,985

Match Stats

Home TeamSaudi ArabiaAway TeamMexico
Possession
Home39%
Away61%
Shots
Home10
Away26
Shots on Target
Home2
Away11
Corners
Home1
Away8
Fouls
Home20
Away18

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Saudi Arabia 1, Mexico 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Saudi Arabia 1, Mexico 2.

  3. Post update

    Foul by RaĂșl JimĂ©nez (Mexico).

  4. Post update

    Mohammed Al Owais (Saudi Arabia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Booking

    Hattan Bahbri (Saudi Arabia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  6. Post update

    Hirving Lozano (Mexico) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Hattan Bahbri (Saudi Arabia).

  8. Post update

    Foul by Rogelio Funes Mori (Mexico).

  9. Post update

    Mohammed Al Owais (Saudi Arabia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Goal!

    Goal! Saudi Arabia 1, Mexico 2. Salem Al Dawsari (Saudi Arabia) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Hattan Bahbri.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Rogelio Funes Mori (Mexico).

  12. Post update

    Hassan Tambakti (Saudi Arabia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Hirving Lozano (Mexico) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.

  14. Post update

    RaĂșl JimĂ©nez (Mexico) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Hattan Bahbri (Saudi Arabia).

  16. Post update

    Corner, Mexico. Conceded by Mohammed Kanno.

  17. Post update

    Corner, Mexico. Conceded by Saud Abdulhamid.

  18. Post update

    Attempt saved. Hirving Lozano (Mexico) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

  19. Booking

    Abdulelah Al Amri (Saudi Arabia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  20. Post update

    Rogelio Funes Mori (Mexico) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Netherlands32105147
2Senegal32015416
3Ecuador31114314
4Qatar300317-60

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1England32109277
2USA31202115
3Iran310247-33
4Wales301216-51

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Argentina32015236
2Poland31112204
3Mexico311123-14
4Saudi Arabia310235-23

D

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1France32016336
2Australia320134-16
3Tunisia31111104
4Denmark301213-21

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Spain21108174
2Japan21012203
3Costa Rica210117-63
4Germany201123-11

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Croatia21104134
2Morocco21102024
3Belgium210112-13
4Canada200215-40

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Brazil22003036
2Switzerland21011103
3Cameroon201134-11
4Serbia201135-21

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Portugal22005236
2Ghana21015503
3South Korea201123-11
4Uruguay201102-21
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