By Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber
(Reuters) – Argentinian manager Lionel Scaloni said his players needed to refocus and look ahead to their next matches after their 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opener in Qatar in one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history.
Saudi Arabia, the second-lowest ranked team in the tournament after Ghana, defeated the South American group favourites in a spectacular second-half comeback on Tuesday that shocked soccer fans across the globe.
Appearing calm at a news conference after the match despite the stinging defeat, Scaloni said the team would analyse their shortcomings ahead of their next Group C matches against Mexico and Poland.
“Today is a sad day but as we always say, chin up and keep going,” he said.
“We were considered favourites before the match but at the World Cup, these kinds of things can happen. We have to work on the things that didn’t work well.”
Scaloni praised the Saudi defence for playing high and catching Argentina offside on three disallowed goals in the first half.
He said the Saudi equaliser by Saleh Al-Shehri in the 48th minute that cancelled out captain Lionel Messi’s first-half penalty had set the stage for their loss.
“I think the first half was all ours, but one goal can change everything,” Scaloni said.
Messi, playing in his fifth World Cup at 35, described the loss as a “very heavy blow” for Argentina, who until then had maintained a 36-match unbeaten streak.
“We didn’t expect to start this way,” he said. “We need to prepare for what is coming. We need to win or win, and that depends on us. We have to return to the foundation of who we are.”
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
