Saudi Arabia 1-0 Uruguay LIVE Score, FIFA World Cup 2026: Abdulelah Al Amri's Goal Keeps KSA In Front At Half-Time

Saudi Arabia heads into the interval with a hard-earned 1–0 lead in a tactical encounter at the Hard Rock Stadium. The match began at a cagey, deliberate pace, with Maximiliano Araújo testing Mohammed Al-Owais from distance before forcing another excellent save later in the half, when the Saudi goalkeeper acrobatically tipped his dangerous delivery for Federico Viñas over the crossbar.

The Green Falcons grew into the game as the half progressed, eventually punishing Uruguay’s defensive lapse four minutes before the break. After Musab Al-Juwayr’s corner found Saud Abdulhamid at the back post, Fernando Muslera could only parry the initial effort, leaving Abdulellah Al-Amri perfectly positioned to poke home the rebound.

Saudi Arabia’s lead is a fair reflection of their pressure, with the Green Falcons boasting an expected goals (xG) of 0.91 compared to Uruguay’s 0.38, signaling their greater efficiency in the final third. Marcelo Bielsa will need to inspire a significant tactical adjustment if La Celeste is to overturn this deficit in the second half.

GOAL! Saudi Arabia strike first, 1–0! The Green Falcons have capitalized on their momentum to break the deadlock! Musab Al Juwayr delivered a pinpoint corner kick toward the back post, finding Saud Abdulhamid, who unleashed a thunderous effort. Fernando Muslera managed to block the initial shot, but he couldn't secure the ball, and Abdulellah Al Amri was the sharpest to react to the rebound, tapping it into the back of the net to ignite the Saudi crowd in Miami!

Al Owais to the rescue again! Saudi Arabia’s failure to properly clear their lines left them vulnerable, and Uruguay quickly punished the hesitation. The ball was worked out to Maximiliano Araújo on the byline, who immediately whipped a dangerous cutback into the center of the box. Federico Viñas met the delivery with a diving header, directing a powerful effort toward the center of the goal. Mohammed Al Owais showed exceptional reflexes, reacting in a flash to tip the ball over the crossbar and preserve the deadlock.

Saud Abdulhamid and Maximiliano Araújo engaged in a physical battle near the corner flag, with the Saudi defender eventually penalized for wrapping his leg around the winger to concede a free-kick. Araújo stepped up to deliver the set-piece into a crowded penalty area, but the Saudi Arabian backline remained composed, successfully clearing the danger and neutralizing the threat.

It has been a cautious opening at the Hard Rock Stadium, with both sides settling into a tentative rhythm as they prioritize defensive stability. Neither team has shown a willingness to commit numbers forward, resulting in a congested midfield battle. Federico Viñas managed to win a throw-in deep in the final third for La Celeste, but the lack of movement ahead of him forced the ball to be recycled all the way back to the Uruguayan defense, highlighting the disciplined, risk-averse approach from both sides in these early exchanges.

Early warning for the Green Falcons! Mohammed Al Owais has been called into action to make the match's first save. Maxi Araújo did well to spin and unleash a powerful strike from the edge of the box; while it was hit straight at the Saudi goalkeeper, Al Owais did well to parry the stinging effort behind for a corner kick.

The World Cup game between host Mexico and South Africa drew 7.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched opening match for an English-language broadcast in the United States.

Mexico's 2-0 win on Thursday on Fox, Fox One and Tubi also was the most-watched English-language broadcast in any World Cup group-stage match not involving the U.S., Fox announced Monday. The previous high was in 2022, when 2.8 million viewers watched host Qatar play Ecuador.

The Americans' 4-1 win over Paraguay also set an English-language U.S. record, drawing 15.9 million viewers, more than double the previous record of 7.7 million in 2022. The match had a peak audience of 18.8 million from 10:45 p.m.-11 p.m. Eastern.

It also was the most-streamed English-language match for the U.S. team at 1.1 million viewers.

The Mexico-South Africa match had a peak of 9.1 million viewers.

KICK-OFF! The referee blows his whistle at the Hard Rock Stadium, and we are underway in Miami! The Green Falcons get the ball rolling against La Celeste in this highly anticipated Group H encounter. Both teams are eager to secure a vital three points to open their 2026 World Cup campaign on a high note.

Miami is synonymous with the colour pink, and now the influence has spread to officials at the World Cup, who have been based in the South Florida city in the lead-up to the tournament.

Italian referee Maurizio Mariani and his team taking charge of Monday's Group H game between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia (23:00 BST) will wear pink jerseys to 'pay homage' to the city and its hospitality.

Iconic Italian official Pierluigi Collina, now FIFA's Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee said: "We thought it would be nice to show our appreciation to the city where we'll live for about two months.

"We chose this 'pink flamingo' - it's a sort of recognition."

FIFA President Gianni Infantino added: "Pink is the colour of Miami, and we (want) to give a little bit of a shout-out, to give a little bit of a smile to the city which is hosting us."

Uruguay: Fernando Muslera; Guillermo Varela, Sebastian Caceres, Mathias Olivera, Matias Vina; Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Manuel Ugarte, Maxi Araujo; Darwin Nunez, Federico Vinas

SUBS: Sergio Rochet, Jose Maria Gimenez, Nicolas de la Cruz, Facundo Pellistri, Santiago Mele, Agustin Canobbio, Emiliano Martinez, Brian Rodriguez, Rodrigo Aguirre, Joaquin Piquerez, Santiago Bueno, Juan Manuel Sanabria, Rodrigo Zalazar.

Saudi Arabia: Mohammed Al Owais; Saud Abdulhamid, Hassan Al Tambakti, Abdulelah Al Amri, Moteb Al-Harbi; Mohammed Abu Al Shamat, Abdullah Alkhaibari, Mohamed Kanno, Nasser Al-Dawsari; Musab Al-Juwayr, Firas Al-Buraikan

SUBS: Nawaf Al Aqidi, Ali Majrashi, Ali Lajami, Masser Al Dawsari, Aiman Yahya, Saleh Al Shehri, Nawaf Bu Washl, Hassan Kadish, Ziyad Al Johani, Khalid Al Ghannam, Alaa Al Hejji, Abdullah Al Hamddan, Sultan Mandash, Ahmed Al Kassar, Jehad Thikri

Total Matches: 3

Saudi Arabia Won: 1

Uruguay Won: 1

Draws: 1

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be telecast live on Unite8 Sports network on television. For live streaming, one can catch the action on the Zee5 app and website.

Location: Miami, Florida, United States

Stadium: Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium)

Date: Monday, 15 June 2026

Kick-off Time: 16/06/2026 – 03:30 AM (IST)

Greetings, we are back with our FIFA World Cup 2026 live blog Saudi Arabia and Uruguay face-off in the Group H second match. The action is about to begin, so stay tuned for all the live updates from Miami Stadium.