Redemption will be on the mind of Saudi Arabia when they continue their World Cup 2018-campaign against Group A-favourites Uruguay at Rostov Arena.
The Green Falcons’ wings were clipped on Thursday’s opening night when hosts Russia – the only nation ranked below them by FIFA – inflicted a 5-0 defeat. This was not how the end of a 12-year exile from the global stage had been envisaged and huge changes are now expected.
Their opponents got the job done against a Mohammed Salah-less Egypt on the next day thanks to Atletico Madrid centre-back Jose Gimenez’s towering late header.
Here are the talking points:
IT’S NOT ALL GONE GREEN
Russia’s midfielder Yury Zhirkov (l) vies with Saudi Arabia’s midfielder Yahya Al Shehri (r).
The recriminations from Saudi’s Russia routing hang over this second fixture.
Saudi Football Federation president Adel Ezzat labelled the prior performance “totally unsatisfactory”, with influential General Sports Authority chief Turki Al-Sheikh calling his nation’s second-heaviest defeat in World Cup history “a total fiasco.”
The former also singled out goalkeeper Abdullah Al Mayouf, striker Mohammad Al Sahlawi and defender Omar Hawsawi when he ominously told Al-Youm Assabaa newspaper: “Several players will face a penalty.”
It is fair to deduce that this trio will not play against Uruguay. Several other fallen stars could also be dumped on the sidelines, chief of which is Leganes loanee Yahya Al Shehri.
The 27-year-old was brilliant during pre-tournament warm-ups against Italy – in which he scored – and Germany.
But against Russia, the winger contributed zero shots or key passes. A combined six times he was dispossessed or lost the ball because of a bad touch.
How they missed injured Al Hilal winger Nawaf Al Abed.
Further back, lightweight Hilal centre midfielder Abdullah Otayf made one tackle, clearance and interception apiece. Club-mates Abdulmalek Al Khaibri and Mohamed Kanno would better bridge the physical deficit.
STUTTERING SUAREZ
Luis Suarez (l) reacts after his missed chance against Egypt.
Uncertainty is a feeling you rarely associate with Uruguay’s Luis Suarez.
The 31-year-old has earned world renown – and infamy – for his deadeye obsession with both scoring goals and gaining victory. Career tallies of 51 goals in 99 internationals and 372 strikes in 561 club appearances says everything you need to know about the efficacy of the multi-faceted Barcelona striker.
This is what makes Friday’s stuttering run-out at Ekaterinburg Arena so peculiar. Doubt riddled his brain when an extra touch was taken in the second half and he barrelled into inspired Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, plus an earlier snatched effort at the back post when a ball bobbled through from a corner.
Suarez got dispossessed, on average, 1.2 times per game in La Liga last term. The figure ballooned to five against the North Africans.
Such moments were reminiscent of the uncertain figure who meandered through the first half of 2017/18 because of a debilitating knee injury.
It could be a case of Suarez needing to get up to speed again. If so, the Saudi defence should prepare for another exacting examination.
FLUID FAHAD BRINGS FIREPOWER
Saudi Arabia’s forward Fahad Al-Muwallad (l) and Russia’s defender Sergey Ignashevich clash.
Mistakes weren’t just the sole preserve of the Saudi players at Luzhniki Stadium.
Head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi’s striker-less system utilised against Italy and Germany appeared to represent a fruitful path. Nominal Al Ittihad winger Fahad Al Muwallad’s searing pace and electric feet then unsettled exalted opposition.
But the competitive action saw a retrograde step back to the out-of-sorts No9 Al Sahlawi.
History shows the Saudis do not tolerate embarrassing failure. Brazil’s World Cup 1994-winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira was sacked by them after two miserable group-stage matches four years later.
To get any sort of redemptive result, goals are key for Saudi – and they’ll need plenty. Opposing strikers Suarez and Edinson Cavani plundered 53 league goals between them in 2017/18.
Atletico centre-backs Diego Godin and Gimenez will envelop Al Sahlawi with ease. A leg race against Al Muwallad is a different proposition.
