Al-Owais shines as Saudi Arabia hold Uruguay to a 1-1 draw

Saudi Arabia held Uruguay to a 1-1 draw after goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais turned in a superb performance in Miami. Maxi Araujo’s late equaliser rescued a point for Uruguay, but Al-Owais had already done enough to frustrate Marcelo Bielsa’s side for long stretches.

Saudi Arabia took the lead late in the first half when Abdulelah Al-Amri tucked in the rebound after Fernando Muslera could only parry Mohamed Kanno’s header. For much of the opening period, the Saudis looked disciplined and dangerous, with Al-Owais making key saves to keep Uruguay at bay.

Uruguay improved after the break and added more urgency once Darwin Nunez was withdrawn. Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte forced one of the game’s best stops when Al-Owais tipped his effort onto the post, and Federico Valverde was later denied as the Saudi keeper stood firm again and again.

Saudi Arabia eventually could not hold on. Al-Owais pushed away another Federico Vinas header, but the ball fell kindly for Araujo, who fired home from the angle to level the score in the 80th minute. Uruguay pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but Al-Owais kept them out once more to preserve a valuable point.

The result gives Saudi Arabia a strong chance of progressing, especially with Cape Verde still to come. A win in that match would put them into the knockout stages for the first time since 1994. Uruguay, meanwhile, will feel they improved after a poor first half, but Bielsa will have questions about his starting selection and the way his team began the game.

Even so, the late goal means both sides remain well placed to advance from the group. For Saudi Arabia, this was a point built on grit and a standout goalkeeping display.