Argentina vs Saudi Arabia Match Analysis & Prediction
22/11/2022 4:00 pm
South American nation Argentina kicks off their World Cup 2022 Group C campaign against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Lionel Scaloni’s side have two World Cups in their cabinet from 1978 and 1986, while Saudi Arabia are looking to make waves in a difficult group and avoid an expected fourth-placed finish.
Argentina made the trip to Qatar with the Copa America already in the bag, and ending a 36-year run without World Cup glory is next on the agenda for the South American champions, whose luminary Lionel Messi had not even been born when they last went all the way in the World Cup.
Since suffering a 2-0 defeat to Brazil in the 2019 Copa America, Argentina have embarked on an impressive 36-game unbeaten run across all competitions, qualifying for the 2022 World Cup without losing a game and winning each of their last five in all tournaments.
Being eliminated from the last 16 with just one win to their name in the entire competition was a bitter disappointment for Argentina in 2018, four years after falling to Germany in the 2014 final, but a fast start should be on the agenda for Scaloni’s side in Qatar.
Saudi Arabia held the honour of opening the 2018 World Cup against host nation Russia, but that 5-0 defeat was a forgettable affair for the Arabian Falcons, who will likely be fearing a similar fate against Argentina on Tuesday.
They were unsurprisingly the victims of a group-stage exit four years ago and are fighting a mountain to avoid suffering the same result this time around.
A last-16 finish in 1994 represents Saudi Arabia’s only progression beyond the group stage of the World Cup so far, and the world’s 51st-ranked nation do not arrive in Qatar in the best of form.
Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia Head to head
These two nations have previously met on just two occasions, where Argentina have claimed one victory while they have drawn once, Argentina have scored three goals and conceded just one in the process.
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20/10/1992Argentina3Saudi Arabia1Confederations Cup
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14/11/2012Saudi Arabia0Argentina0Friendlies
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22/11/2022N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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22/11/2022N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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22/11/2022ArgentinaN/ASaudi ArabiaN/AWorld Cup
Argentina Team News
Exequiel Palacios and Lisandro Martinez were restricted to indoor work but should be fine for Tuesday’s contest, while Joaquin Correa has been replaced by Thiago Almada due to injury.
Should he be fit enough, Messi will expect to form an intimidating attacking trident with Angel Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez.
Argentina's Last 5 Matches
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01/06/2022Italy0Argentina3CONMEBOL/UEFA Finalissima
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05/06/2022Argentina5Estonia0Friendlies
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24/09/2022Argentina3Honduras0Friendlies
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28/09/2022Argentina3Jamaica0Friendlies
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16/11/2022UAE0Argentina5Friendlies
Saudi Arabia Team News
Saudi Arabia’s five-cap midfielder Riyadh Sharahili has reportedly sustained a muscular problem which has put his World Cup hopes in doubt.
Experienced attacker Fahad Al-Muwallad was left out of the squad after failing a drugs test, while Salem Al-Dawsari will expect to occupy the left flank for the Arabian Falcons.
Saudi Arabia's Last 5 Matches
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26/10/2022Saudi Arabia1Albania1Non-FIFA Friendlies
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30/10/2022Saudi Arabia0Honduras0Non-FIFA Friendlies
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06/11/2022Saudi Arabia1Iceland0Friendlies
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10/11/2022Panama1Saudi Arabia1Friendlies
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16/11/2022Saudi Arabia0Croatia1Friendlies
Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia: Odds and Predictions
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