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TAIF, Saudi Arabia: The Saudi national team won the Arab Diar Championship for West Asian U-19 teams, after defeating UAE 1-0 at the King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Taif Governorate on Friday night.
The team qualified for the final match after beating their Syrian counterpart 2-0, state news agency SPA reported.
Talal Haji scored the winning goal in the 43rd minute of the first half, bringing victory and gold medals to the team.
The UAE came in second and was awarded silver medals.
JAKARTA: The Saudi national football team will train behind closed doors in Jakarta on Saturday in preparation for their 2026 World Cup Asian qualifier match against Indonesia next Tuesday.
The Green Falcons arrived in the Indonesian capital on Friday and are scheduled to face off against the hosts on Nov. 19 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, as part of the sixth round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The national team delegation was welcomed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by the Saudi Ambassador Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Amoudi.
Yasser Al-Misehal, president of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation, expressed his appreciation to the embassy for the warm reception and the facilities provided to the team following their arrival from Melbourne.
The Green Falcons will hold a closed training session on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Gelora Jakarta Stadium.
NEOM: Hosts Saudi Arabia threw off their opening day defeat against England with a 7-6 win over Germany in the second day of action at the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024.
Spurred on by the support of their fans at Gayal Beach, the national beach soccer team took to the sand on Thursday night.
Al-Hamami and Qasem gave Saudi Arabia a 2-0 lead in the first period and the hosts added two more goals to their tally in the second, Salman and Waleed both finding the net. Germany then closed the gap as Peterson scored a brace.
There was even more action in the third period, as four goals from Germany and two from the home side took the match into extra time at 6-6.
It was left to Waleed to score the winner and reward Saudi Arabia with two points on the board following their first win in this year’s competition.
Also in Group A, after securing a first-day victory against Germany, the UAE struck three times in the first 12 minutes against England with goals from Ali, Kamal and Mousab.
England responded well, finding the back of the net three times in the space of two minutes during the second period courtesy of a Robinson brace and one from Lawson. Despite the setback, A. Abbas restored the advantage for his team before the period ended.
Both teams were on target twice in the third and final period, A. Abbas scoring his second and goalkeeper Bahri hitting the target for the UAE. Lawson got his second for England, with Younie also striking home. But it was not enough, and the UAE clinched their second victory of the tournament to put them on maximum points.
The second Group B match of the day saw a repeat of the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2023 final as defending champions Brazil took on Japan.
The scores were even at 2-2 by the end of the first period, as Antonio scored two for Brazil, and Oba and Akaguma found the net for Japan. The teams were tied in the second phase of play too, Benjamin Jr. and Oba scoring within six seconds of each other.
Brazil secured victory in the third and final period with a brace from Edson Hulk and a goal from Datinha, although they conceded goals from Akaguma and Oba.
Eight teams are taking place in the men’s tournament during this third edition of the cup. Group A is made up of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, England and Germany, with Brazil, Spain, Japan and China in Group B.
In the women’s competition, defending champions Spain, 2022 participants England and Ukraine, and 2022 champions Brazil will take to the sand.
MELBOURNE: Saudi Arabia had a goal disallowed in added time in a scoreless draw with Australia, a result that did neither side any favors in their bid to qualify for World Cup 2026.
Despite several chances in front of a sold out AAMI Park in Melbourne, the breakthrough both teams desperately needed never came.
The Saudis and their new French coach Herve Renard thought they had won in the 93rd minute when Sultan Al-Ghannam rifled home from just inside the box.
But the flag went up, with one of his teammates offside.
“We had some good opportunities but we have to go give our opponent credit. First half we didn’t play very well,” said Socceroos coach Tony Popovic.
“We were not very good with the ball while they were sharp and energetic.
“We improved significantly in the second half, which is good,” he added.
“Overall, it’s a point and we move forward but certainly we can improve.”
The stalemate played into the hands of Group C leaders Japan and opened the door for Bahrain to leapfrog them as Asian qualifying reached the halfway mark.
Australia and the Saudis both have six points, four behind table-toppers Japan who can stretch their lead further when they meet Indonesia in Jakarta on Friday.
Bahrain, on five points, host China later in Riffa and will move into second spot if they win.
Just the top two seal their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America, with third and fourth forced into another round of Asian qualifying.
Australia must now lift themselves for a difficult trip to Bahrain next week, while Saudi Arabia travel to Indonesia.
Popovic made just one change from the team that drew with Japan in Saitama last month with Standard Liege midfielder Aiden O’Neill in for Luke Brattan.
Renard, who was appointed a fortnight ago in place of Roberto Mancini, swung the axe with just four survivors from their last match, a goalless draw with Bahrain.
Both sides started at a frenetic pace and in a big moment on 12 minutes the referee awarded Australia a penalty after Mitch Duke clashed heads with goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Kassar who came out to clear the ball.
But VAR showed the infringement was outside the box.
The first decent effort did not come until the 27th minute when Saudi midfielder Nasser Al-Dawsari whipped in a shot from a tight angle. Goalkeeper Joe Gauci saved at the near post.
Gauci made another crucial stop on the cusp of half-time, charging off his line to pluck the ball off the feet of Feras Albrikan in a one-on-one situation.
Australia had the brighter second half, creating far more chances with Riley McGree and Duke whipping in shots that were blocked.
They had a glorious opportunity with seven minutes left when substitute Brandon Borrello beat the offside trap.
But instead of shooting he opted to pass and the chance was wasted, before the last-minute drama with the disallowed goal.
SYDNEY: For the first time in 18 months, Herve Renard strutted into a press conference wearing a tracksuit emblazoned with the distinctive logo of Saudi Arabia and all felt right with the world.
The revered Frenchman returns to Saudi Arabia following the dismissal of Roberto Mancini last month after the Green Falcons’ slow start to World Cup qualifying, with a 2-0 loss to Japan and 0-0 with Bahrain the final straw after a strained 14-month tenure for the decorated Italian manager.
In opting to return to Renard, who oversaw their transformation from a middling nation to one capable of beating Argentina on the biggest stage, Saudi Arabia are hoping the past 18 months can simply disappear as if they never existed and Renard can take over where he left off.
And while most in Saudi Arabia are delighted to see the 56-year-old return, the feeling is also mutual, with Renard telling reporters in Melbourne, where Saudi Arabia play a crunch qualifier against Australia on Thursday night, that he was overjoyed to be back.
“My comeback was a (special) sensation,” he said with a broad smile. “The feeling was like I never left this team. I knew three-quarter of these players. We had a fantastic World Cup qualifiers in 2022 and a very good World Cup as well.”
But while there was more than a whiff of nostalgia in the air as he spoke to the assembled media from both Australia and Saudi Arabia, he was also quick to point out that the past was the past and the mission now is to ensure qualification for 2026, which after four games is looking precarious, with just one win on the board.
The Green Falcons are third in Group C, equal on five points with Australia (second) and Bahrain (fourth), and face the tricky prospect of back-to-back away games against Australia on Thursday and then against Indonesia next Tuesday, who held Saudi Arabia to a 1-1 draw in their first encounter in Jeddah in September.
“We still have a very good memories together, but this is the past. Now we have to look forward for these qualifiers,” he said.
“We are not in a very good position, but (also) not in a very bad situation as well. So we still have six games to look forward to qualify for the next World Cup, and this is our goal.”
They will have to confront the twin challenge of Australia and Indonesia without talisman Salem Al-Dawsari, who was ruled out with an injury suffered in Al-Hilal’s 3-1 win over Ettifaq last weekend.
The timing of the injury to arguably their best and most important player could not have been worse given their struggles to find the back of the net this campaign, with just three goals in four matches — the equal worst record of any of the 18 sides left in this phase of qualifying.
One player who is likely to carry an additional attacking burden in Al-Dawsari’s absence is his former Al-Hilal teammate, Saleh Al-Shehri.
Now with Al-Ittihad, the 31-year-old arrives in camp on the back of impressive form in the Roshn Saudi League. Stepping up in the absence of captain and former Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, Al-Shehri has scored twice in as many games and was confident he and his teammates can cover the absence of the former AFC Player of the Year.
“As a Saudi team, we always have a lot of players that can fill any shoes,” he said.
“So, I think either me or my other colleagues, we’re going to do our best to win this game. On the personal side, I think I’m going to have a good game and hopefully I’m going to score for my team tomorrow.”
With a sold-out crowd expected at Melbourne’s 30,000-capacity AAMI Park, the stakes could not be higher for both teams.
With Japan five points clear on top, Saudi Arabia and Australia are jostling for that second automatic position to guarantee qualification for the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico, and with both teams level on points, Thursday night’s match could be decisive in determining which nation ultimately progresses.
In football parlance, it is a classic “six-pointer,” a game that neither side can afford to lose.
“It’s a very important game,” Renard said, “but we don’t want to underrate Indonesia (and) Bahrain; (Bahrain) were able to win in Australia.
“We are always talking about Australia (or) Saudi Arabia, but I think it will be a big fight between three or four teams for the second position. So, of course, this game is very important.”
The jovial frivolities of the press conference quickly gave way to the hard reality of why Saudi Arabia were in the cold of southern Australia, with the team getting their first look at Melbourne’s AAMI Park under gray and gloomy skies.
Perhaps that was a portent of what was to come, with news emerging late on Wednesday evening that recalled veteran Salman Al-Faraj had been taken to a nearby hospital for scans after injuring his knee in what could be another blow for Renard after the forced withdrawal of Al-Dawsari.
Time will tell if he will be fit enough to play a part in Thursday’s must-win encounter, but with or without the veteran, you know that with Renard back on the touchline, this Saudi side will put up a fight.
LONDON: While scanning Herve Renard’s first squad list since his return as boss of the Saudi national team, three names stand out immediately. Twenty-four of the 27 players play their club football in the Kingdom; the exceptions are Saud Abdulhamid, who is at Roma, and Faisal Al-Ghamdi and Marwan Al-Sahafi, both currently on loan at Belgian side Beerschot.
Saudi players plying their trade in Europe are not the norm; only a handful have previously made the switch from the Kingdom. And even they — from Sami Al-Jaber at Wolves to Salem Al-Dawsari at Villarreal — only featured sparingly before returning to their homeland.
But at Beerschot, 23-year-old Al-Ghamdi and 20-year-old Al-Sahafi have been thrust immediately into first-team action and have produced influential performances for the team, which is fighting to stay in the Belgian Pro League.
“It was not difficult to make the switch for us,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News in an exclusive interview from Beerschot’s training ground. “We had goals and dreams of reaching the highest levels in Europe.
“Some things are definitely different from playing in Saudi — like the environment and climate — but we’ve adapted to these differences quite well, and things are going smoothly. It has been a good experience for both of us. Really, we benefited a lot. Every time you move to a different place you learn new things and develop yourself naturally.”
He added: “In terms of the future we hope to get more results, we want to reach higher levels in Europe and develop our skills.”
While both players, who are on loan from Al-Ittihad for the 2024-25 season, have quickly settled into life in Belgium, it is Al-Sahafi who has made the biggest impact so far.
After scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September, he netted another brace ahead of this week’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The winger’s double salvo helped Beerschot fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Club Brugge, who are playing in this season’s UEFA Champions League.
“Against Anderlecht, we had the resolve to win and God blessed me with the two goals,” Al-Sahafi said. “It was superb, and an amazing feeling throughout the game. It was one of my best performances by far and I will remember this for a long, long time. [I think] we’ve acclimated to the different situation well and it wasn’t difficult even though there are not many players from the Kingdom who have played in Europe.”
For Al-Ghamdi, too, seeing Al-Sahafi among Beerschot’s goal scorers has been special.
“I’m extremely proud of him and it is a joy seeing him score,” Al-Ghamdi said. “I have very high hopes for him and I hope we will both [continue] to have better performances in the future, with more goals and more wins.”
The Saudi duo’s coach at Beerschot is former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt. He became a cult hero during his six years at Anfield, aided by scoring a match-winning hat-trick against Manchester United in 2011. With 104 caps for the Netherlands under his belt, Kuyt’s experiences as a player have helped him transition into an effective coach.
“He’s a little bit before our time but we do remember watching clips and videos of him in his career,” Al-Ghamdi said. “As a coach we try to benefit as much as possible from having him, he’s a great influence both on and off the pitch, well-rounded. He’s responsive with the players, he is engaging as a person, very warm. He gets close to the players and offers his best advice — whether in training, in matches, or even off the pitch.”
Al-Sahafi has also felt the benefit of Kuyt’s guidance: “He’s close to us and really tries to facilitate the best conditions and prepare us before the game. He takes care of us and he has a big personality and character — on and off the pitch. He is very impactful.”
At international level, too, Al-Sahafi and Al-Ghamdi are set to play under a hugely popular coach. Herve Renard returned to coach the Green Falcons last month, replacing Roberto Mancini.
It was under Renard that Al-Ghamdi made his international debut against Yemen in January 2023 and, after struggling for game time while Mancini was at the helm, the midfielder is optimistic about the future of the national team.
“He is a huge coach and we had very good results with him,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We are so happy to have him back and we hope to get amazing results with him. Inshallah, we will qualify for the World Cup with him, that is our primary objective.”
Al-Sahafi’s international bow only came in June this year, and he was handed his first start for the Green Falcons in last month’s 0-0 draw with Bahrain in Jeddah — a game that proved to be Mancini’s last.
“This will be my first experience with the new coach and I want to prove myself,” Al-Sahafi told Arab News. “I believe there is a clear reason why he chose me and I want to make him proud. Our goal is to reach the World Cup.”
So by the time the 2026 tournament begins in the United States, Mexico and Canada, could there be more Saudi players making their mark in European football?
“There have definitely been many players in the Saudi national camp who have asked us about playing in Europe,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We explained what has happened and how we have developed. We told them it has been exciting and they were quite curious.”
Al-Sahafi also hopes to convince some of his Green Falcons’ teammates to join the duo in testing themselves on a different continent and in a different football culture.
“A lot of people outside and within the Saudi national team have asked me questions and I told them it has been a tremendously valuable experience. And very fun too,” he said.
“I hope this time in Belgium helps us develop to be the best players for the Kingdom and to improve. We want to give the best we have to offer for Saudi Arabia and I hope soon we will see many players go abroad to improve themselves further.”
