JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia were held to a 1-1 draw by Indonesia in Jeddah on Thursday on a day of surprises in Asia as the third round of World Cup qualification began.

It was very much a case of two points dropped against the lowest-ranked team in Group C, especially as Salem Al-Dawsari saw a penalty saved with 11 minutes remaining.

However, it could have been worse. Hours earlier, group rivals Australia had crashed to a 1-0 loss at home to Bahrain and, for a while, it looked as if Saudi boss Roberto Mancini was about to suffer a similar humiliation.

Indonesia may be Asia’s most improved team and bolstered by the naturalization of several European-based players, but they arrived for the clash ranked 133 in the world, a full 77 places below the hosts.

No wonder home fans at the King Abdullah Sports City expected a comfortable win.

Saudi Arabia took time to get going and had not really threatened before the visitors took the lead after 19 minutes. Ragnar Oratmangoen cut inside on the right edge of the area and his fierce shot deflected off Sandy Walsh and past the helpless Mohammed Al-Owais. The Indonesian fans went crazy as did the coaching staff, led by South Korean Shin Tae-yong.

While it shook Saudi Arabia into action, chances were still hard to come by. Mohamed Kanno shot just wide and then Al-Hilal teammate Salem Al-Dawsari, sporting the captain’s armband, started to get into the game. The introduction of AS Roma’s new signing Saud Abdulhamid on the right side just after 30 minutes also gave the hosts a bit more bite and balance. 

The final pass was not quite there though, and the Southeast Asians looked dangerous on the break.

Then, just before the break, the home team got the break they needed. Musab Al-Juwayr had control of the ball on the edge of the area but his shot took a major deflection on its way to the back of the net to bring a sense of relief all around the stadium. It surely changed the halftime team talks of both bosses.

Al-Nassr’s Abdulrahman Ghareeb came on at the start of the second half and should have done better three minutes in when, after some sloppy Indonesian play, he blasted a shot over and wide from a good position.

Saudi Arabia were applying pressure at last, however, and a second goal did not look to be too far away. Even so, the visitors looked to hit on the break and, for the neutral at least, the game started to open up in an entertaining fashion.

With 20 minutes remaining, Saudi Arabia were on top but Mancini, wearing a shirt and tie, looked worried on the sidelines.

Al-Dawsari shot just wide from outside the area as the teams started to look a little tired on a humid evening. In the 76th minute, the hosts went even closer but Abdulhamid’s header came back off a post with goalkeeper Maarten Paes beaten.

However, moments later Paes gave away a penalty while trying to play out from the back. He ended up bringing down Firas Al-Buraikan and up stepped Al-Dawsari, the goalkeeper making amends for his mistake by making a diving save to his left.

It sparked Saudi Arabia to even greater efforts. With two minutes to play, Kanno’s shot from outside the area was saved by Paes and the rebound went across the face of goal with no one on hand to hit home.

It was an agonizing sight for the home fans, but the winning goal never came, although Al-Buraikan saw a one-on-one chance spurned.

Next comes an away game in China on Tuesday to face a team thrashed 7-0 in Japan and desperate for some improvement.

Saudi Arabia will need to improve too. There are still nine games to go and the top two places that bring automatic qualification are still within reach, but the start should have been better. On the other hand, on what was a crazy day in Asia, it could have been worse.

RIYADH: People are more likely to invest in things they feel connected to, according to the founder and president of Works Collective, Nate Morley, speaking on a panel titled “Cultural Crossroads in Games” on the second day of the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh.

The panel brought together creative professionals from diverse fields, including entertainment, art, and fashion. They explored the impact of cultural influence on creative industries and emphasized the need to balance cultural authenticity with commercial success.

Je Alipio, director and head of business development at Walt Disney Co. for APAC & MENA, discussed how Disney innovates while maintaining the integrity of its beloved characters and stories.

“It’s really about finding the right partner,” he said, noting that collaborating with like-minded creatives who bring fresh ideas can unlock many opportunities.

Alipio also outlined two approaches to business collaboration: a top-down method, where Disney enters a partner’s space to inform or influence it, and a bottom-up approach, where partners are empowered to expand their ideas on a larger scale under Disney’s guidance.

Khaled Makhshoush, a Saudi artist specializing in digital pixel art, began his career inspired by video games. He discussed the cultural elements featured in his work and how he draws inspiration from his surroundings. “You start to see things — the places you grow up in, the city … that’s the main source of cultural inspiration.”

Makhshoush noted that when creating an image, his focus is not on accuracy but on conveying emotion. By “breaking it down and then rebuilding it” based on his interpretation, he fosters a connection between personal and cultural elements.

In discussing how to create culturally authentic gaming experiences, Morley remarked: “One of the worst things you can do is to be a cultural appropriator.”

He elaborated that while fostering a platform that invites people to contribute and expand ideas is valuable, appropriating elements from other cultures and using them as your own is problematic.

Morley stressed that collaboration and diversity are key to elevating a brand. He said that within a single brand framework, one can showcase a multitude of voices in various ways, adding that a distinctive mix of backgrounds and industries transforms the brand from a mere “copy and paste” entity into an inclusive “platform for expression.”

Nicola Mizon, COO and co-founder of Kutur Runway and Vitza DGTL, discussed the increasing efforts by fashion brands to integrate into the esports sector through advanced technology. She noted that there is a growing demand for audiences “to look their best.

“We want to create a fashion gaming platform that’s at the intersection of technology, commerce, and games and bring everyone together to celebrate the art of fashion in the digital space,” she said.

This involves engaging in discussions with local designers and creators to understand their needs for a gaming platform that allows them to feel celebrated and unrestricted in their creative expression, such as crafting innovative concepts like “dresses made of fire.”

Expanding the discussion on integrating fashion within both cultural and digital contexts, Reem Al-Kanhal, fashion designer and creative director of brand Reem AlKanhal, said: “Fashion is connected to everything.”

Al-Kanhal emphasized that, given the extensive time newer generations spend online, it is crucial to integrate cultural elements — such as traditional wardrobes and national landmarks — into games for the sake of cultural preservation.

She concluded: “I think (that) owning your story is your power,” highlighting its significance for personal ambition and maintaining cultural connections.