Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay - prediction, team news, lineups

Hard Rock Stadium volition big Saudi Arabia against Uruguay connected Monday evening, arsenic some countries get their respective 2026 World Cup campaigns underway.

The 2 teams are competing successful Group H this summertime alongside Spain and Cape Verde, and it is shaping up to beryllium a fascinating conflict to scope the knockout round.

Match preview

Saudi Arabia person been regulars successful World Cups since 1994, featuring successful each tourney to this constituent isolated from 2010 and 2014, erstwhile they failed to suffice for the finals.

The nationalist team's past 2 World Cups person ended successful group-stage exits, and they person lone really reached the circular of 16 connected 1 occasion, which came backmost successful 1994.

Georgios Donis' broadside volition participate this lucifer disconnected the backmost of a goalless gully with Senegal successful their last pre-World Cup friendly, portion they besides played Puerto Rico and Ecuador arsenic portion of their preparations for the tournament, beating the erstwhile 1-0 and losing 2-1 to the latter.

Spain are the overwhelming favourites to decorativeness apical of Group H, but 2nd successful the conception is precise open, portion 3rd could besides beryllium capable to scope the knockout round.

Saudi Arabia person tackled Uruguay connected 3 erstwhile occasions, and some teams person posted 1 win, including a 1-0 occurrence for the second astatine the 2018 World Cup.

Uruguay tin nary longer telephone upon the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, but the South Americans inactive person a batch of talent, and a triumph implicit Saudi Arabia connected Monday would enactment them successful an fantabulous spot to scope the knockout circular of the competition.

Marcelo Bielsa's broadside person not really played since their March friendlies, with a 1-1 gully against England astatine Wembley followed by a goalless gully with Algeria.

La Celeste person a affluent past successful the World Cup, winning the tourney successful 1930 and 1950, portion they really made the semi-finals arsenic precocious arsenic 2010.

Uruguay were contiguous successful the quarter-finals of the 2018 tournament, but they went retired successful the radical signifier of the 2022 competition, truthful determination is plentifulness of country for betterment this summer.

La Celeste volition beryllium aiming to marque it back-to-back wins implicit Saudi Arabia astatine a World Cup, and the information that their 2nd crippled is against Cape Verde connected June 21 means that a triumph present would enactment them successful a commanding spot to beryllium contiguous successful the circular of 32.

Saudi Arabia signifier (all competitions):

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Uruguay signifier (all competitions):

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Team News

Saudi Arabia volition beryllium without the services of Nawaf Al Aqidi (muscle) for their opening lucifer of the 2026 World Cup, but the Green One are different successful beardown shape.

Salem Al-Dawsari is the skipper and starring goalscorer successful the squad with 34, and Saudi Arabia volition beryllium looking to the fig 10 for inspiration successful their clash with Uruguay.

Four players susceptible of operating arsenic a centre-forward person been named successful the squad, but the starting presumption done the mediate is expected to beryllium handed to Firas Al-Buraikan, who has 16 goals successful 72 appearances for his country.

As for Uruguay, Jose Gimenez (ankle), Ronald Araujo (calf), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (calf), Matias Vina (muscle) and Sebastian Caceres (head) could each beryllium unavailable for selection.

Of those considered doubts, Caceres is the astir apt to beryllium involved, with the 26-year-old perchance starting alongside Santiago Bueno astatine the back, particularly if some Gimenez and Araujo miss out.

Federico Valverde is the team's standout subordinate and volition run successful midfield, portion Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur and Darwin Nunez are besides acceptable to diagnostic from the archetypal whistle.

Saudi Arabia imaginable starting lineup:

Al-Owais; Abdulhamid, Al Tambakti, Lajami, Bu; Kanno, Al-Khaibari; N Al-Dawsari, Al-Juwayr, S Al-Dawsari; Al-Buraikan

Uruguay imaginable starting lineup:

Muslera; Varela, Caceres, Bueno, Olivera; Valverde, Ugarte, Bentancur, M Araujo; Vinas, Nunez

We say: Saudi Arabia 1-2 Uruguay

This is simply a pugnacious lucifer to call, arsenic cases tin beryllium made for either to triumph it - we came adjacent to backing a gully but person conscionable settled connected Uruguay, who person a batch of endowment successful midfield and attack.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.