00:00Hello and welcome to Golf News Kicking Back. There is only one place to start tonight and
00:14that is Denmark nil, Tunisia nil. I'm kidding of course. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. A public
00:21holiday has been announced guys tomorrow in Saudi Arabia after the team pulled off what
00:26is probably the biggest shock in the World Cup. I mean I think it's probably the biggest
00:31shock of all time. They've beaten tournament favourites Argentina 2-1. Now guys look, Saudi
00:38Arabia they're ranked 51st by FIFA. You know no one really took them too seriously. I mean
00:46but they've come out today with a really bold and determined and solid performance and they
00:51dug in. They defended really well and Sharm they deserve that win today didn't they? Absolutely
00:58you are spot-on. I mean if any team deserved to win it was the Saudi Arabia because the way they
01:04initially the 20 minutes they were frazzled although I mean three attempts at the goal
01:10but of course they got away with it. But after that it was just Saudi Arabia all over the place
01:17and they never allowed Argentina back into the match and Argentina was pretty poor. So Saudi
01:24Arabia definitely deserved to win. Nick what's the reason for Argentina being so complacent today? Well I think it's
01:31a story we've spoken about it in around the last couple of days. I think Argentina relying on Messi
01:37too much. So you know when they were struggling the first half it looked quite dominant. Three
01:43disallowed goals for Argentina. The Messi penalty nicely taken by the way. But that penalty
01:51incidentally if it was in the Premier League we'd be having 10 penalties every match. These refs have
01:57kind of changed their tune. But it's Argentina poor but the second half what did the manager
02:06tell us the Saudi manager tell them at halftime? It was a different game. Two quick goals, a team
02:13ethic. It was brilliant and what a winner. So congratulations to Saudi. The only defence for
02:19Argentina is that the other match was a nil-nil. So the group is very much still open with a couple
02:28of matches for each team to play. But you know what's an achievement for Saudi Arabia. Well played.
02:34Just going back to that the penalty incident Sham. I mean it looked really soft. I mean yeah
02:40the Saudi defender. I'm sorry I don't know his name. He wasn't exactly looking at the ball.
02:44But there was hardly any contact there. I mean if we're going to give penalties like this we're
02:49going to be seeing a record number of penalties I think in this tournament. Aren't we Sham?
02:53Yes indeed. I mean if you look at most of the penalties which is given
02:57it's rather dodgy. Okay you have technology there but the thing is
03:04see even the Lewandowski penalty. I mean it didn't look like a penalty. So was this.
03:10So to me it definitely wasn't a penalty. I mean I think there are. So I thought Saudis were hard
03:15done by that decision. They were hard done by but they came stormy back in that second half. It was
03:19a 10-minute spell where Salah Al-Shehry pulled them back level with a lovely left foot cross shot
03:25turned to the bottom corner. And then Salim Al-Dawsiri he fired a superb goal. I mean he
03:31got the ball wriggled free and he bent one into the top corner. There was pandemonium in the stands.
03:36But Nick did you expect that comeback from Saudi Arabia today?
03:40No. You know if you're 51st in the world against number three Argentina you know your place but
03:46maybe it's a lesson to all the lesser teams. Go for it. They're all good strong athletes and maybe
03:55you know it really was the start of the World Cup 2022 today. More teams maybe should go for it.
04:02Saudi have gone for it in the first match. Let's see a couple of 0-0 draws today. Let's see in the
04:08second third match if the weaker teams or the lesser teams not weaker lesser teams lower in
04:15the rankings. If they go for it just shows you what you can do. But Sham look Argentina came
04:22into this game on a 36 game unbeaten run. It included winning the Copa America last year 2021.
04:30They had a friendly match the other day in the UAE against sorry against the UAE in Abu Dhabi.
04:35They cruised through that. But I mean have you ever seen a bigger shock than this in a World Cup
04:41Sham? Can you remember one from the top of your head? No not at all. I mean not in my memory.
04:46Definitely not. There have been shocks in the past but definitely not on this scale.
04:52Because I was quickly going through my notes about what was that. See 1990 Argentina again
04:58lost to Cameroon but still made the final. Brazil lost to Norway but and and you really have to go
05:04back. I was listening to the commentary they say one of those guys was saying USA beating
05:11England way back in 1950 or something. Well in the 50s was perhaps the biggest shock
05:17in their memory. But yeah so to me in my memory definitely this is the biggest.
05:23It's a huge one. Nick Messi he's playing in his fifth World Cup. He says Argentina are going to
05:29bounce back against Mexico on Saturday. And if they don't they're going to be bouncing out of
05:34the tournament. Surely we're going to be seeing a much better performance from Argentina next time
05:38out aren't we? Yeah let's hope for a team performance. Messi was didn't get the support
05:44and the like in his usual style. But you know they have no choice. They'll be they'll be flying home
05:50if they disappoint in their next match. But I don't think you know you can't peak too soon.
05:58You've got to build momentum. It's seven matches to win the World Cup. And let's see there is time
06:04but I think there will be a few sleepless nights for Argentina and their fans. So I don't think
06:11it augurs well for Argentina moving forward. But the no-no draw gives them slight hope from the
06:17other teams. I think if we cast our minds back to 2010 Spain lost their opening game and they we
06:23all know what they've done in that tournament there. So yeah I've got a feeling that they're
06:27going to be okay. But now sadly they're in a very strong position. It could be Argentina and Saudi.
06:32Everybody thought it's going to be Argentina and Poland. Obviously Poland have drawn their first
06:36game today nil-nil. But Saudi credit to them. They're in a very strong position and they'll
06:41be confident of going through. Right the second big news today Cristiano Ronaldo has had his
06:46contract mutually terminated by Man United. It means he starts on Thursday for Portugal against
06:53Ghana unemployed and as a free agent. Nick I mean how crazy is that? Inevitable. I'm just glad for
07:02all parties that there's no more noise and everyone knows where they stand. I think it was very
07:08unfortunate. Ronaldo had his point but I thought it was the wrong approach. But who knows where
07:14he's going to play. I know Wolves and Everton aren't in the mix but I wonder which other
07:19team. So it's obviously I've only just popped up on the screen. Manchester United have
07:26made that move. But let's hope it's not all the news now. Let's stick to the World Cup.
07:33But I don't think it's the last we've heard. Who's interested? Who's not? I don't know. But it was
07:38inevitable to happen. He could never have gone back to them. Let's just move forward with the
07:44World Cup. Shyam look the timing of that interview has been criticized obviously right before the
07:50World Cup. And now this news right before Portugal's going to open their campaign against Ghana.
07:56That isn't going to be the best way to start the preparations for the game is it?
08:01Certainly not. Simply because see you have to be in a good mental space for a
08:06tournament like having the World Cup. We know it is the apex when it comes to the
08:10football World Cup. And you definitely have to be physically and mentally in peak condition.
08:17And you don't want any distraction. Which is why I was surprised when you gave an interview at the
08:22point of time. And now this I thought the timing is very very poor. Very poor indeed. It'll be
08:29interesting to see how they get on on Thursday. But before Thursday we've got to have a quick look
08:33at tomorrow's games. The big one tomorrow Germany's playing against Japan. Hansi Flick's in charge of
08:37Germany these days. They've got Kai Havertz up front. They haven't got Timo Werner. He's injured.
08:42Thomas Muller's still playing. But they've got an important player in midfield Kimmich. If he plays
08:47well I think Germany should do well Shyam. You can't write off the Germans obviously. How do you
08:50think they'll get on tomorrow against Japan? It may not be easy but Germany will win.
08:57Because see I never write off Germany at any… Whether it's a Euro or whether it's a World Cup.
09:03They are masters at tournament play. The bigger the occasion, the bigger their temperament.
09:10Or they come to the party as they say. So I mean they may not win handsomely but they
09:16might eke out wins and just do just enough to win. And they have won tournaments like that
09:22several times. And even the World Cup in the past. So I would never write them off. So
09:27they might be a narrow win. Maybe like a 2-1 or 2-0 win against Japan. But still they will win
09:33and they will go through. Nick, they're a young team. What do you make of the chances tomorrow?
09:38Do you think… I mean we all expect Germany to get out of the group obviously. But in the last
09:43World Cup they didn't make it past the round of 16 I believe. So how do you think they'll get on
09:47tomorrow? Well they're Group E. The group of death. There's always a group of death there.
09:53And Japan are stronger than we probably acknowledge. So who knows. As today has
10:03proved the World Cup can have any shocks. And if Japan beat Germany it wouldn't be the shock that
10:08we had today. So let's hope for a good match. And group of death. I love that phrase. So
10:15there always has to be one. And Group E this year. So Germany 11 in the world rankings.
10:21Those don't lie. When do we last see Germany outside the top 10 in the FIFA world rankings?
10:29It's been a long time. It's been a very long time. The other game in Group E is Spain against
10:33Costa Rica. I think that's going to be a really wide open attacking game of football. Could be
10:37seeing a lot of goals there. I'm looking forward to seeing the young boys from Spain. Pedri and
10:40Gabi in particular. One's 18. One's 19. Torres as well. He's only 22. So there's a very young
10:46core there for Enrique's side. Nick, how do you think Spain, Costa Rica is going to go tomorrow?
10:52Spain, obviously, you can't deny their favouritism and their standing. But Costa
10:58Rica, they have a history of upsets. But I'll go with Spain. And in Group F, Sean,
11:06there's Morocco against Croatia. Modric, obviously, is going to be heavily involved
11:09in everything that Croatia do. But the other big game is Belgium against Canada. Now we all know
11:15about Belgium. They've had that golden generation tag on them for a long time. They've got a very
11:19good squad. People like De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku, managed by Martinez, who I think is,
11:25you know, probably, this could be his last tournament with Belgium. If he doesn't get
11:29the team to at least the final, I think he'll be walking away. I think, obviously, they'll beat
11:34Canada. I don't remember Canada being in the World Cup, to be honest. Must be the first time.
11:40Sharm, how do you think Belgium will get on tomorrow against Canada?
11:44You said the answer yourself. Canada, for me, was a huge, huge surprise.
11:51Which is why I don't even think that Canada has any chance tomorrow.
11:57Belgium, of course, should cruise past them. But their prospects in the tournament,
12:04like you said, I don't think they will. You're even saying final. I'm not even saying that.
12:09So, it's going to be a very tough journey for them in this World Cup.
12:15All right. We'll see how they all get on tomorrow. We'll be back. That's enough for us for tonight.
12:19In the meantime, head to gulfnews.com and check us out on all our social media channels.
12:24Well done to Saudi Arabia again, and goodbye to Ronaldo. Good night, guys.
