Mexico defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1 but agonisingly went out of the World Cup on goal difference on a night of incredible drama in Doha.
With Argentina beating Poland 2-0 in Group C at Stadium 974 and Mexico leading by the same scoreline at Lusail Stadium in the 94th minute, Gerardo Martino’s side needed one more goal to prevent them from going out according to Fifa’s fair play rule.
But Salem Al Dawsari’s injury-time consolation goal for Saudi Arabia sent the distraught Mexicans home anyway, leaving the Polish players to celebrate across the city.
After a stop-start first half with little rhythm to it, the match burst into life two minutes after the break as Henry Martin reacted quickest to finish Cesar Montes’ flick on.
Mexico fans had barely calmed their celebrations before Luis Chavez curled a glorious 30-yard free-kick into the top corner to send their supporters into pandemonium.
They thought they had another but Hirving Lozano’s low strike was chalked off for offside and Martin should have had a second but volleyed over from 12 yards out.
It was all Mexico as they pushed for further goals. Chavez nearly struck another stunning free-kick but Mohammed Al Owais palmed it out, then Orbelín Pineda curled narrowly wide.
Mexico thought they had sealed progression when Uriel Antuna stroked in late on, but that too was flagged for offside and they went out in the most excruciating manner.
Agony for Mexico
The first half was one to forget, the drama in the second will live long in the memory.
It was absolute chaos before the game, with thousands of Saudi fans making the trip across the border for a game in which victory would have secured a place in the knockout stage.
But they never really managed to put Mexico under pressure and ultimately both sides went out of the competition.
At one stage, Mexico were set to be knocked out because they had collected more yellow cards (seven) than Poland (five), with the two teams level on points and goal difference.
While Al Dawsari’s late goal changed little, Mexico fans were still left dejected at full-time, with some staying long after the final whistle with their head in their hands.
Martin’s opener from close range and Chavez’s peach of a free-kick gave them hope, but two disallowed goals crushed any optimism of advancing out of the group.
The result ends a sequence of progression to the round of 16, having done so at the previous seven World Cups.
For Saudi Arabia, the tournament ends in disappointment by finishing bottom of the group despite an opening game victory over Argentina that will go down as one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.
Mohamed Kanno had his chances, shanking wide from the angle and curling a free-kick narrowly over, while Ali Al Hassan almost headed in on the stroke of half-time.
The stadium was filled mostly with raucous Saudi supporters and they went home with one final cheer as Al Dawsari coolly converted late on.
Player of the match
ChávezLuis Chávez
Saudi Arabia
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Squad number10Player nameSalem Al DawsariAverage rating
7.48
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Squad number26Player nameRiyadh SharahiliAverage rating
6.98
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Squad number3Player nameAbdullah Madu
Average rating6.92
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Squad number17Player nameHassan Tambakti
Average rating6.88
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Squad number23Player nameMohammed Kanno
Average rating6.85
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Squad number19Player nameHattan Bahbri
Average rating6.85
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Squad number11Player nameSaleh Al Shehri
Average rating6.75
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Squad number4Player nameAbdulelah Al Amri
Average rating6.74
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Squad number20Player nameAbdulrahman Al Obud
Average rating6.71
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Squad number5Player nameAli Al Bulayhi
Average rating6.61
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Squad number15Player nameAli Al Hassan
Average rating6.60
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Squad number12Player nameSaud Abdulhamid
Average rating6.33
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Squad number2Player nameSultan Al Ghannam
Average rating6.17
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Squad number9Player nameFeras Al Brikan
Average rating6.15
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Squad number21Player nameMohammed Al Owais
Average rating6.00
Mexico
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Squad number24Player nameChávez
Average rating7.79
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Squad number13Player nameOchoa
Average rating7.63
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Squad number4Player nameÁlvarez
Average rating7.62
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Squad number10Player nameVega
Average rating7.57
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Squad number22Player nameLozano
Average rating7.22
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Squad number19Player nameSánchez
Average rating7.18
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Squad number20Player nameMartín
Average rating7.17
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Squad number3Player nameMontes
Average rating7.08
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Squad number17Player namePineda
Average rating7.06
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Squad number21Player nameAntuna
Average rating6.97
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Squad number26Player nameÁlvarez
Average rating6.95
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Squad number8Player nameRodríguez
Average rating6.64
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Squad number23Player nameGallardo
Average rating6.64
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Squad number9Player nameJiménez
Average rating6.63
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Squad number15Player nameMoreno
Average rating6.55
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Squad number11Player nameFunes Mori
Average rating6.50
Line-ups
Saudi Arabia
Formation 4-4-2
- 21Al Owais
- 2Al GhannamSubstituted forBahbriat 88′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 4Al AmriBooked at 90mins
- 17Al TambaktiBooked at 52mins
- 5Al BulayhiSubstituted forSharahiliat 37′minutes
- 9Al Brikan
- 15Al HassanBooked at 34minsSubstituted forMaduat 45′minutesBooked at 81mins
- 12Abdulhamid
- 10Al Dawsari
- 11Al ShehriBooked at 28minsSubstituted forAl Obudat 62′minutes
- 23Kanno
Substitutes
- 1Al Rubaie Al Yami
- 3Madu
- 14Otayf
- 16Al Naji
- 18Al Abid
- 19Bahbri
- 20Al Obud
- 22Al Suweiti Al Aqidi
- 24Al Shardan Al Dawsari
- 25Asiri
- 26Sharahili
Mexico
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Ochoa
- 19SánchezSubstituted forÁlvarezat 86′minutes
- 3Montes
- 15Moreno
- 23Gallardo
- 4ÁlvarezBooked at 16minsSubstituted forFunes Moriat 86′minutes
- 24Chávez
- 22Lozano
- 17PinedaSubstituted forRodríguezat 77′minutes
- 10VegaSubstituted forAntunaat 45′minutes
- 20MartínSubstituted forJiménezat 77′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Talavera
- 2Araújo
- 5Vásquez
- 6Arteaga
- 7Romo
- 8Rodríguez
- 9Jiménez
- 11Funes Mori
- 12Cota
- 14Gutiérrez
- 16Herrera
- 18Guardado
- 21Antuna
- 25Alvarado
- 26Álvarez
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 84,985
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Saudi Arabia 1, Mexico 2.
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Second Half ends, Saudi Arabia 1, Mexico 2.
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Foul by Raúl Jiménez (Mexico).
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Mohammed Al Owais (Saudi Arabia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Hattan Bahbri (Saudi Arabia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Hirving Lozano (Mexico) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Hattan Bahbri (Saudi Arabia).
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Foul by Rogelio Funes Mori (Mexico).
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Mohammed Al Owais (Saudi Arabia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Goal! Saudi Arabia 1, Mexico 2. Salem Al Dawsari (Saudi Arabia) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Hattan Bahbri.
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Foul by Rogelio Funes Mori (Mexico).
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Hassan Tambakti (Saudi Arabia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Hirving Lozano (Mexico) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
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Raúl Jiménez (Mexico) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Hattan Bahbri (Saudi Arabia).
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Corner, Mexico. Conceded by Mohammed Kanno.
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Corner, Mexico. Conceded by Saud Abdulhamid.
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Attempt saved. Hirving Lozano (Mexico) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Abdulelah Al Amri (Saudi Arabia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Rogelio Funes Mori (Mexico) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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