Messi gave the Copa America holders an early lead from the penalty spot but Saleh Al-Shehri equalised early in the second half and Salem Al-Dawsari struck a sensational winner.
DOHA - Saudi Arabia stunned Lionel Messi's Argentina on Tuesday, beating the two-time winners 2-1 in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Playing a risky high defensive line, the athletic Saudis rode their luck in the first half when three times Argentina had the ball in the net only to be denied by an offside call. That condensed the game into a sliver of green turf around the halfway line as the Asian side happily allowed Argentina's back four to pass the ball among themselves.
There was no controversy about the equaliser three minutes into the second half, though, as Al-Shehri ran onto a touch from Feras Al-Brikan, beat Cristian Romero on the outside and slotted the ball back across goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and into the far corner.
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