It is not at all clear which are the two teams that will advance to the round of 16 from Group C: Saudi Arabia Vs. and Poland Vs. Argentina are fighting for two expensive tickets for the next phase.
For the Saudis, qualifying for the round of 16 would be a feat, while it is almost an obligation for the Mexicans.
Only victory serves them, practically, for each other. So Saudi Arabia, after beating Argentina on the first day, look for another victim with weight in history and get into the playoffs almost 30 years after doing so for the last timewhile Mexico needs to knock down the Arabs so as not to be a negative surprise of the appointment.
Argentina already knows what it is to succumb to the speed of the Saudi striker. And, in fact, Poland was able to beat the Arabs, but they left proof of their quality and that their victory against the albiceleste was not an oasis. So Mexico is more than warned.
Hervé Renard’s men know that they are facing a final. “We will play the game with all our energy. We’re still alive and things aren’t over yet“, recalled the coach of Saudi Arabia, who partly put himself in the hands of his scorer Salem Aldawsari, the second Saudi player to score in two consecutive World Cups after Sami Aljaber (1994 and 1998).
In the United States 1994 appointment was the last in which Saudi Arabia was able to overcome the group stage. Now he is 3 points away from doing it again, although a carom could make a draw good. But in front is the ‘Tri’, for whom it is useless to tie after their defeat against Argentina.
A setback that confirmed Mexico as the country with the most games lost in the World Cups, with its 28th defeat. And they don’t want to add fuel to the fire. The pass is in their hands, and for this they must do something that they have not been able to do yet; win (after the initial draw against Poland, 0-0).
“As long as there is a chance, you should always try.. We need to score goals just like Arabia. Footballers are used to getting up and going for another opportunity. It’s hard. Poland’s second goal did damage”, acknowledged Gerardo Martino, Mexico coach.
Arabia vs. Mexico, possible alignments, what time is the game and where to watch it
POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
SAUDI ARABIA: Mohammed Alowais; Saud Abdulhamid, Abdulelah Alamri, Hassan Altambakti, Mohammed Alburayk; Mohamed Kanno, Feras Albrikan, Nawaf Alabid, Sami Alnaji; Salem Aldawsari and Saleh Alshehri.
MEXICO: Guillermo Ochoa; Jorge Sanchez, Cesar Montes, Hector Moreno, Nestor Araujo; Jesus Gallardo, Edson Alvarez, Hector Herrera, Luis Chavez; Hirving Lozano and Alexis Vega.
REFEREE: Michael Oliver (ENG).
STADIUM: Lusail Stadium.
HOUR: 1:00 p.m. Central Mexico.
WHERE TO SEE IT: Azteca 7, Channel 5, Las Estrellas, Sky Sports 534 and ViX on the internet.
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