Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay player ratings: Al-Owais shines as Bielsa's men are held in Group H opener

Uruguay came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia in their opening Group H fixture at the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

La Celeste made a sluggish start and were punished from a set-piece when Abdulelah Al-Amri converted after Fernando Muslera could only parry a header from Mohamed Kanno into danger.

However, Marcelo Bielsa's side improved significantly after the break. Uruguay dominated large spells of the second half, with Maxi Araujo levelling the scores before Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais produced a string of excellent saves to preserve a point for his side.

Here, Sports Mole rates the performances from both teams.

Uruguay player ratings

Goalkeeper

Fernando Muslera - 4/10

Capable of producing moments of brilliance and costly mistakes in equal measure. Muslera demonstrated both sides of his game, making an outstanding close-range save from Al-Amri before gifting Saudi Arabia the opening goal by spilling Kanno's header into a dangerous area. His error proved decisive.

Defenders

Matias Vina - 4/10

Struggled to make a meaningful impact down the left flank and offered little attacking threat.

Mathias Olivera - 7/10

Uruguay's most influential distributor from the back. The centre-back saw far more of the ball than defensive partner Sebastian Caceres and was instrumental in progressing attacks. His delivery into the box played a key role in the move that led to the equaliser.

Sebastian Caceres - 4/10

A quiet evening for the defender, who was often bypassed during Uruguay's build-up play.

Guillermo Varela - 6/10

The Flamengo full-back provided useful width throughout the match. Combined well with Agustin Canobbio after the interval and delivered a dangerous cross that should have been converted by Federico Vinas.

Midfielders

Manuel Ugarte - 5/10

Worked hard in midfield but struggled to dictate proceedings against a compact Saudi setup.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 5/10

Neat in possession without ever truly taking control of the contest.

Federico Valverde - 6/10

Expectations are always high when Valverde takes the field. Whether operating on the right side of midfield or in a more advanced role, he struggled to impose himself for long periods. Finished strongly and nearly snatched a winner with a late effort.

Maxi Araujo - 7/10

Uruguay's goalscorer showed excellent reactions to convert the rebound for the equaliser. Also created one of his side's best chances with a clever knockdown for Vinas.

Forwards

Federico Vinas - 5/10

Found promising positions throughout the match but lacked composure in front of goal. Registered five attempts and missed a particularly good headed opportunity before Araujo's equaliser.

Darwin Nunez - 4/10

A frustrating outing for the Liverpool striker, who struggled to influence the game against Saudi Arabia's disciplined defensive structure.

Darwin ??#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/xjwT6GH6Pn

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 15, 2026

Substitutes

Agustin Canobbio - 6/10

Injected energy into Uruguay's right flank and helped increase the tempo after coming on.

Juan Sanabria - 5/10

Provided additional movement but had limited impact in the final third.

Nicolas De La Cruz - 5/10

Steady contribution after entering the contest.

Brian Rodriguez - 6/10

Looked lively and forced Al-Owais into action late on.

Rodrigo Aguirre - N/A

Not on the pitch long enough to receive a rating.

Saudi Arabia player ratings

Goalkeeper

Mohammed Al-Owais - 8/10

Despite being partially responsible for Uruguay's equaliser, Saudi Arabia owed their point largely to their goalkeeper. Al-Owais finished with nine saves, including three superb interventions in stoppage time to deny Valverde, De La Cruz and Rodriguez.

Defenders

Moteb Al-Harbi - 6/10

Solid defensively and rarely allowed Uruguay much space down his side.

Hassan Altambakti - 5/10

A dependable if unspectacular performance in central defence.

Abdulelah Al-Amri - 7/10

A constant threat from set-pieces. Took his goal like a natural striker after reacting quickest to Muslera's mistake and later forced another excellent save with a well-struck effort.

Saud Abdulhamid - 5/10

Worked hard defensively but offered little going forward.

Midfielders

Mohamed Kanno - 6/10

Won important aerial duels and played a significant role in the opening goal.

Abdullah Al-Khaibari - 5/10

Disciplined display in midfield without standing out.

Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat - 6/10

Provided energy and tactical discipline throughout the contest.

Salem Al-Dawsari - 5/10

A surprisingly ineffective performance from Saudi Arabia's captain and star man. He struggled to win individual duels and rarely influenced proceedings in attacking areas, partly due to his side's cautious approach.

Forwards

Firas Al-Buraikan - 4/10

Isolated for long periods and unable to trouble the Uruguay defence.

Musab Al Juwayr - 4/10

Worked hard without producing a notable attacking contribution.

Substitutes

Nasser Al-Dawsari - 5/10

Helped Saudi Arabia maintain their defensive shape.

Nawaf Boushal - 5/10

A steady cameo from the bench.

Ali Lajami - N/A

Too little time on the pitch to be rated.

Ala'a Al-Hejji - N/A

Introduced late on.

Abdullah Al-Hamdan - N/A

Not on the field long enough to receive a rating.