Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay player ratings: Al-Owais shines as Bielsa's men are held in Group H opener

Uruguay came from down to gain a 1-1 gully with Saudi Arabia successful their opening Group H fixture astatine the 2026 World Cup connected Tuesday.

La Celeste made a sluggish commencement and were punished from a set-piece erstwhile Abdulelah Al-Amri converted aft Fernando Muslera could lone parry a header from Mohamed Kanno into danger.

However, Marcelo Bielsa's broadside improved importantly aft the break. Uruguay dominated ample spells of the 2nd half, with Maxi Araujo levelling the scores earlier Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais produced a drawstring of fantabulous saves to sphere a constituent for his side.

Here, Sports Mole rates the performances from some teams.

Uruguay subordinate ratings

Goalkeeper

Fernando Muslera - 4/10

Capable of producing moments of brilliance and costly mistakes successful adjacent measure. Muslera demonstrated some sides of his game, making an outstanding close-range prevention from Al-Amri earlier gifting Saudi Arabia the opening extremity by spilling Kanno's header into a unsafe area. His mistake proved decisive.

Defenders

Matias Vina - 4/10

Struggled to marque a meaningful interaction down the near flank and offered small attacking threat.

Mathias Olivera - 7/10

Uruguay's astir influential distributor from the back. The centre-back saw acold much of the shot than antiaircraft spouse Sebastian Caceres and was instrumental successful progressing attacks. His transportation into the container played a cardinal relation successful the determination that led to the equaliser.

Sebastian Caceres - 4/10

A quiescent evening for the defender, who was often bypassed during Uruguay's build-up play.

Guillermo Varela - 6/10

The Flamengo full-back provided utile width passim the match. Combined good with Agustin Canobbio aft the interval and delivered a unsafe transverse that should person been converted by Federico Vinas.

Midfielders

Manuel Ugarte - 5/10

Worked hard successful midfield but struggled to dictate proceedings against a compact Saudi setup.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 5/10

Neat successful possession without ever genuinely taking power of the contest.

Federico Valverde - 6/10

Expectations are ever precocious erstwhile Valverde takes the field. Whether operating connected the close broadside of midfield oregon successful a much precocious role, helium struggled to enforce himself for agelong periods. Finished powerfully and astir snatched a victor with a precocious effort.

Maxi Araujo - 7/10

Uruguay's goalscorer showed fantabulous reactions to person the rebound for the equaliser. Also created 1 of his side's champion chances with a clever knockdown for Vinas.

Forwards

Federico Vinas - 5/10

Found promising positions passim the lucifer but lacked composure successful beforehand of goal. Registered 5 attempts and missed a peculiarly bully headed accidental earlier Araujo's equaliser.

Darwin Nunez - 4/10

A frustrating outing for the Liverpool striker, who struggled to power the crippled against Saudi Arabia's disciplined antiaircraft structure.

Darwin ??#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/xjwT6GH6Pn

Substitutes

Agustin Canobbio - 6/10

Injected vigor into Uruguay's close flank and helped summation the tempo aft coming on.

Juan Sanabria - 5/10

Provided further question but had constricted interaction successful the last third.

Nicolas De La Cruz - 5/10

Steady publication aft entering the contest.

Brian Rodriguez - 6/10

Looked lively and forced Al-Owais into enactment precocious on.

Rodrigo Aguirre - N/A

Not connected the transportation agelong capable to person a rating.

Saudi Arabia subordinate ratings

Goalkeeper

Mohammed Al-Owais - 8/10

Despite being partially liable for Uruguay's equaliser, Saudi Arabia owed their constituent mostly to their goalkeeper. Al-Owais finished with 9 saves, including 3 superb interventions successful stoppage clip to contradict Valverde, De La Cruz and Rodriguez.

Defenders

Moteb Al-Harbi - 6/10

Solid defensively and seldom allowed Uruguay overmuch abstraction down his side.

Hassan Altambakti - 5/10

A dependable if unspectacular show successful cardinal defence.

Abdulelah Al-Amri - 7/10

A changeless menace from set-pieces. Took his extremity similar a earthy striker aft reacting quickest to Muslera's mistake and aboriginal forced different fantabulous prevention with a well-struck effort.

Saud Abdulhamid - 5/10

Worked hard defensively but offered small going forward.

Midfielders

Mohamed Kanno - 6/10

Won important aerial duels and played a important relation successful the opening goal.

Abdullah Al-Khaibari - 5/10

Disciplined show successful midfield without lasting out.

Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat - 6/10

Provided vigor and tactical subject passim the contest.

Salem Al-Dawsari - 5/10

A amazingly ineffective show from Saudi Arabia's skipper and prima man. He struggled to triumph idiosyncratic duels and seldom influenced proceedings successful attacking areas, partially owed to his side's cautious approach.

Forwards

Firas Al-Buraikan - 4/10

Isolated for agelong periods and incapable to occupation the Uruguay defence.

Musab Al Juwayr - 4/10

Worked hard without producing a notable attacking contribution.

Substitutes

Nasser Al-Dawsari - 5/10

Helped Saudi Arabia support their antiaircraft shape.

Nawaf Boushal - 5/10

A dependable cameo from the bench.

Ali Lajami - N/A

Too small clip connected the transportation to beryllium rated.

Ala'a Al-Hejji - N/A

Introduced precocious on.

Abdullah Al-Hamdan - N/A

Not connected the tract agelong capable to person a rating.