The Albiceleste are anticipated to brush apart the Inexperienced Falcons within the opening Group C showdown at Lusail Stadium.
Who: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia, Group C
The place: Lusail Stadium
When: Tuesday, November 22 at 1pm (10:00 GMT)
Rating: Argentina (3), Saudi Arabia (51)
The opening sport in Group C of the World Cup will see Argentina face off in opposition to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday within the 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium.
Led by famous person Lionel Messi, the Argentines have been extensively tipped to problem strongly for a 3rd World Cup win. Coach Lionel Scaloni’s prices know a convincing victory in opposition to the Gulf aspect is anticipated — even demanded — by their legions of followers.
Their hopes for glory had been cast throughout an unbelievable 36-game unbeaten run courting again to 2019 and have taken on elevated poignancy following latest indications from Messi that this might be his final World Cup.
The diminutive 35-year-old has been in glowing kind for membership and nation over the previous yr, lighting up his second season at Paris Saint-Germain with 12 objectives and 14 assists in 19 video games to this point.
Thought of by many to be the best footballer of his technology, he might be assisted in Qatar by an array of supporting expertise together with attackers Ángel Di Maria and Lautaro Martínez, and midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes.
Argentina possess a miserly defence, too, dampening the prospects of the Inexperienced Falcons pulling off an upset and including to the predictions of some that the aspect from South America could also be again at Lusail Stadium for the World Cup ultimate on December 18.
However Saudi Arabia might be decided to try to frustrate the Albiceleste, who had been final topped world champions in 1986.
If they're to get pleasure from any success, the Saudis will must be flawlessly organised in their very own half and able to hit the Argentines on the break when alternatives to counterattack current themselves.
Supervisor Herve Renard might be totally conscious of the dimensions of the problem forward, with tough fixtures in opposition to fellow Group C challengers Poland and Mexico looming subsequent. Nevertheless, he and his gamers will take coronary heart from a superb qualification marketing campaign that noticed them e book a spot at this yr’s event with two video games in hand, securing a sixth World Cup look since their inaugural displaying within the 1994 version.
Talisman Salem Al-Dawsari will supply Saudi’s best menace along with his inventive wing play and comes into the competitors on the again of probably the most prolific season of his profession to this point, having scored closely for Riyadh-based membership aspect Al-Hilal.
The 31-year-old is unlikely to be in need of help from the stands, with tens of hundreds of Saudi Arabia followers anticipated to attend the first-ever World Cup within the Center East. Amongst them might be Abdullah Alsulmi, who has trekked on foot greater than 1,500km (930 miles) from the Pink Sea port metropolis of Jeddah to Qatar, to cheer his aspect on.
However no matter outcomes, the crew’s look on the event alone marks one thing of a win for its supporters. For greater than three years, Riyadh had led a regional financial blockade of Qatar that threatened to undermine Saudi Arabia’s participation within the competitors, and a few feared, the event itself.
Now that’s historical past: The blockade was finally lifted in early 2021. Saudi Arabia and Argentina may have their give attention to the following month — beginning Tuesday.
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