DOHA: A capacity crowd of 3,000 football supporters on Tuesday packed a dedicated zone in the Qatari capital to watch the Saudi national team kick off their AFC Asian Cup campaign with a hard-fought victory over Oman.
Tensions ran high in the Falcon’s Nest fan zone, set up in Doha by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, as the Green Falcons came from behind to beat the Omanis 2-1 with a last-gasp stoppage-time winner.
Fans unable to make it to the Saudi team’s opening Group F match at the Khalifa International Stadium were able to view the action on a giant screen.
SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal said: “We’re thrilled that so many fans chose Falcon’s Nest as their preferred destination to watch our men’s national team in action – this is one of the main reasons why it’s open throughout the tournament.
“They want to experience incredible atmospheres within the host nation and Falcon’s Nest offers precisely this. It’s a home of football where brilliant matchday experiences are there for everyone to enjoy,” he added.
Located within Doha’s Katara Cultural Village, the zone will be broadcasting the tournament’s matches from 4 p.m. daily until Feb. 10, when the competition final takes place.
As well as screening games, the facility, which is open to fans of all nationalities, also houses a museum showcasing the history of Saudi football.
Another area offers sports games, challenges, and football skills tests where fans can track the speed of their shots, accuracy of passes, and learn the art of chipping a ball.
In addition, a Realm of the Impossible interactive experience allows visitors to step into the boots of footballing legends and replicate some of the most iconic goals scored for Saudi Arabia in major tournaments.
And the zone also has a merchandise shop where visitors can buy customized items including Saudi national team jerseys.
The Falcon’s Nest is open daily from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. with various food and beverage options available.
Thousands flock to Falcon’s Nest fan zone for Saudi Arabia’s AFC Asian Cup opener
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Thousands flock to Falcon’s Nest fan zone for Saudi Arabia’s AFC Asian Cup opener
- ‘We’re thrilled so many fans chose Falcon’s Nest as their preferred destination to watch our men’s national team’: Saudi football federation president
- Zone can accommodate 3,000 fans, will broadcast tournament matches daily from 4 p.m.
Pereira the last-gasp hero for Al-Ittihad
- He grabs 2 goals in injury time to secure a 3-2 victory over Al-Shabab and clinch a place in the King’s Cup final for the first time in 6 years
Danilo Pereira was the hero, grabbing two goals in injury time, as Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Shabab 3-2 in a thrilling King’s Cup semi-final on Tuesday. They will face either Al-Qadsiah or Al-Raed, who play on Wednesday, in the final next month.
It was a thrilling tie. A penalty converted by Fabinho early in the first half seemed to put Al-Ittihad on course for a place in the final of Saudi Arabia’s premier domestic cup competition for the 19th time, and the chance to lift the trophy for the 10th time. But Al-Shabab had other ideas, scoring twice in the space of three minutes after the break to turn the tie on its head.
There was still time for a dramatic late twist, however, that means the prospect of the league and cup double remains very much alive for the Jeddah giants.
There were only 14 minutes on the clock when the Tigers took the lead. Al-Shabab defender Robert Renan brought down Abdulrahman Al-Oboud in the area, former Liverpool star Fabinho stepped up to take the spot kick and kept his cool to put his team ahead.
The only other highlight of the first half was another of the famous “tifo” visual displays from Al-Ittihad’s fans. It featured an image of star striker Karim Benzema wielding a hammer, inviting him to smash the opposition.
Things did not quite work out that way, however, as Al-Shabab fought back. In the 64th minute, Cristian Guanca picked up possession 30 yards from goal and unleashed a spectacular shot into the top corner. Three minutes later, Yannick Carrasco floated over a cross to the far post and Guanca struck again, this time heading home.
Al-Shabab seemed headed for a famous win and things were still looking good for them when the 90-minute mark ticked by.
But then, as the prospect of a fourth successive semi-final defeat loomed for Al-Ittihad, Pereira intervened. His first goal came in the 92nd minute. Benzema had a big part to play in it, greeting a corner kick with a header directed toward the top corner of the net. The attempt was saved but Pereira was well placed to head home the rebound.
Six minutes later and the comeback was complete. It began with another corner, which this time bounced off a defender in the crowded area but Pereira was there again, waiting to pounce and fire in the winner from close range, breaking Al-Shabab hearts and sending Al-Ittihad into the final for the first time in six years.
Saudi winger Al-Saad eyes PSG upset in French Cup semifinal
- The USL Dunkerque player spoke to Arab News about his time at Al-Ettifaq, the move to France and playing for his country
LONDON: Muhanad Al-Saad knows what it is like to make history. In February, he became the first player from Saudi Arabia to score in the French league when he headed in USL Dunkerque’s second goal in their Ligue 2 victory over Clermont Foot 63. It was a surreal moment for Al-Saad, one few — himself included — could have predicted.
Now Al-Saad faces another momentous occasion, as second-tier Dunkerque face the might of Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France semifinals on Tuesday.
Al-Saad and his team-mates are aiming to become the first club outside Ligue 1 to reach the final since Les Herbiers in 2018; only once has the 107-year-old competition been won by a side from outside the top flight, and that was Le Havre back in 1959.
“It’s definitely a tough match,” Al-Saad told Arab News in an exclusive interview. “You’re talking about one of the biggest clubs in France and Europe. But we’re excited and confident — we’ll give it everything we have (to) try to secure a spot in the final and make history.”
It is the first time since 1929 that Dunkerque have reached the last four of the Coupe de France and a spot in the final would break new ground for the club.
The match has been moved from Dunkerque’s 5,000-capacity Stade Marcel-Tribut to Lille’s 50,000-seater Stade Pierre Mauroy. The “hosts” are targeting a major cup upset but PSG have already shown they will not cave to romantic footballing dreams; in the quarterfinals, Luis Enrique’s side thrashed fourth-tier Stade Briochin 7-0.
That 21-year-old Al-Saad will line up against the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola is a remarkable turn of events. The Mecca-born winger initially played for the Al-Ahli academy but was released at the age of 15.
He was picked up by Al-Ettifaq much later — in 2023 — and found himself promoted to the first-team squad by then-coach Steven Gerrard.
“In my first session with Steven Gerrard, he asked why I hadn’t joined the pre-season camp,” Al-Saad recalled. “He told me, ‘From today, you’re with the first team.’ Everyone knows what a great player and leader he was at Liverpool.”
However, after featuring for just 30 minutes across five games during the 2023-24 campaign, Al-Saad reassessed his options and decided to embark on a new challenge at NEOM.
“I don’t know the exact reason for my limited playing time but during pre-season in Spain, my agent spoke to me about a good offer from NEOM and I decided to make the move,” he said.
Al-Saad became a regular for the team in the first half of the 2024-25 season, scoring five goals in 15 games as NEOM laid down a marker for promotion from the Saudi First Division.
“It was a short stint, but a very special one,” Al-Saad said. “I got the chance to play with high-level players like Ahmed Hegazi, Salman Al-Faraj, Romarinho and many others. It was a great experience, and we did our part as a team.”
Despite helping NEOM into pole position for promotion to the Saudi Pro League next season, Al-Saad — who also impressed with two goals in four games for the Saudi U-21s in 2024 — opted to leave the Kingdom in January.
Dunkerque, who have former Chelsea and Newcastle United striker Demba Ba as their sporting director, were in the midst of their own bid for top-flight promotion. Both Ba and Portuguese coach Luis Castro saw great potential in Al-Saad and swooped to sign him on loan.
“I’m not sure if there were other clubs involved, but Dunkerque showed real interest and made it clear they wanted me,” Al Saad said. “I was excited about the opportunity and eager to play in Ligue 2.
“I’m so proud to have become the first Saudi player to score in the French league. It was a great feeling and a moment of pride for me and my country.”
Al-Saad has started six of Dunkerque’s past seven games and the team currently lies fifth in the Ligue 2 table; the clubs finishing in third, fourth and fifth qualify for the Ligue 1 promotion play-offs.
While the young Saudi is fully focused on facing PSG in the Coupe de France on Tuesday, he also admits he has been thinking carefully about his future — and is keen to stay in France to further his development.
“Yes, I’m on loan, but I’m really enjoying the experience and feel that it’s helping me grow. If you ask me, I’d say yes - I’d love to stay. Playing abroad at this stage of my career is teaching me a lot.”
The lessons Al-Saad has already learned, coupled with his stellar performances for Dunkerque, were recognized in March when he received his first call-up to the Saudi Arabia national team.
Although he didn’t feature in either of the Green Falcons’ FIFA World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan, Al-Saad relished the experience of working with coach Herve Renard and hopes he will continue to feature in the squad.
“It was my first call-up to the senior national team, and I was very proud to represent my country,” Al-Saad said.
“My relationship with Hervé Renard was great — he spoke to me often and showed genuine interest in both the local and international players. He’s a strong personality and a top-level coach.”
Four talking points from dramatic week of Asian World Cup qualifiers
- Saudi Arabia desperately need a prolific goal scorer as Palestine keep unlikely dream alive with Iraq win
- Indonesia’s Kluivert suffers rude awakening in debut, whilst Qatar’s struggles continue
AUSTRALIA: Remember when critics of FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams claimed it would spell the end of the qualifying stages?
That the bloated tournament would make qualifying “easy”and remove any of the drama or jeopardy we normally associate with the marathon effort to reach football’s global showpiece?
Try telling that to fans of Asian football who, for the past six months, have endured one of the most hotly contested qualifying campaigns in recent memory.
There are just two matches remaining in June to determine which six sides will progress automatically, and which six will progress to the next round, where the final two automatic spots for Asia will be decided.
Remarkably, 17 of the 18 teams are still in contention heading into the final fixtures, with only Japan and Iran safely through to the finals next year.
After another frenzied week of action, this is what we learned.
Palestine keeps the fairytale alive
To say you could not script it would be a boringly inaccurate cliche, but if you were going to, you could not have scripted it any better.
One-nil down with 90 minutes on the clock approaching, Palestine’s campaign looked to be done and dusted. Failure to take a point off Iraq would have seen their campaign officially ended.
But this fairytale had another ending, a joyous one for a people so depraved of happiness for the last 18 months. Goals fron Wessam Abou Ali in the 88th minute and Ahmeed Mahajna in the 97th minute saw Palestine record one of their most famous victories.
To see the smiles and ecstasy on the faces of Palestinian players, coaches and fans alike was to witness something so unbridled it brought a tear to the eye of even the hardest of hearts.
After Oman’s win, they are still a long shot to qualify for the next round. But they kept the hope alive for another few months; a currency, sadly, in short supply in Palestine right now.
Kluivert’s baptism of fire
Welcome to Asian football, Patrick Kluivert. The Dutch legend with a patchy coaching record was a surprise choice to replace the popular Shin Tae-yong as Indonesia coach, but after seven crazy minutes in Australia it looked like a masterstroke.
Tim Garuda had knocked Australia around with a blistering start, and as Kevin Diks stood over the spot kick to give Indonesia an unexpected early lead, Kluivert must have been in dreamland.
The dream soon became a nightmare. Diks missed his spot kick, and in the blink of an eye Indonesia went from a chance to go 1-0 up to being 2-0 behind. It was 3-0 by the half-hour mark and Australia were out of sight.
It ended 5-1, and with the incredibly strong Indonesian crowd in Sydney chanting the name of Shin Tae-yong and booing Kluivert whenever he appeared on the big screen at Allianz Stadium.
It is hardly the environment you want heading into your first home game; no wonder the TV cameras caught the sweat pouring down his brow early in the first half. The pressure was well and truly on the former Barcelona striker.
Winning cures all, however, and a 1-0 win over Bahrain in front of almost 70,000 in Jakarta to cement fourth spot, which would see them progress to the fourth round, has Indonesian fans putting the pitchforks down for now.
Wanted: A Saudi goal scorer
To apply, please send your resume to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation marked “Attention: Herve Renard.”
We joke, but Saudi Arabia’s goalscoring woes will be no laughing matter for the Frenchman, with the Green Falcons scoring just one goal in their past six fixtures, coming in the 1-0 win over China last week.
Renard shook up his selection for this camp, hoping to find a spark to ignite their campaign and while four points from China at home and Japan away is a very healthy return, one goal is six is the opposite.
With Australia taking maximum points, Saudi Arabia’s destiny is out of their hands. All they can do is win both games and hope for the best. But to state the obvious, to win games first you must score, and that is where Saudi Arabia are falling down at the moment.
Firas Al-Buraikan is having a tough time at Al-Ahli this year. Saleh Al-Shehri was dropped from the latest squad, while the leading Saudi scorer this season, Al-Khaleej’s Abdullah Al-Salem made his debut off the bench against China and is untested at international level.
It leaves Salem Al-Dawsari as the man shouldering the goalscoring burden, unless Renard can conjure a little bit of magic, because it feels like Saudi Arabia are going to need something supernatural if they are to finish second and qualify automatically.
From champs to chumps
It has been a miserable old campaign for Qatar. They have lost half the games they have played, conceded the most goals and were humbled this week by a Kyrgyzstan side ranked 59 places lower in the FIFA rankings.
All this, let us not forget, and they are still the Asian champions. How is that even possible?
Qatar seem devoid of direction. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the World Cup in 2022 was an endpoint, not the beginning of a bright new future for Qatari football.
Four coaches in three years, all with different tactical ideals, will attest to that.
Last year’s Asian Cup success was seen as wiping the slate clean after their World Cup embarrassment; proof again that this team was good enough on the international stage, and that the World Cup was just an aberration.
But it is becoming increasingly obvious that their Asian Cup successes are the exception, not the norm. While winning a tournament is one measure of a good team, so is consistency of performance across a multi-year campaign, and Qatar has failed at that.
They will likely still make it through to the next round, largely on the back of the generational talent that is Akram Afif, but they have lost the benefit of the doubt when it comes to trusting them to perform when it matters. The World Cup next year looks a long way away.
5 things we learned from Saudi’s World Cup qualifiers
- Four points from a win over China and a draw with Japan is probably what Herve Renard had set as an acceptable return from this international week
LONDON: Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 in Japan on Tuesday to follow the 1-0 win over China last Thursday. The results leave the Green Falcons on 10 points in Group C in the third round of 2026 World Cup qualification, three points behind Australia in second. Japan are already sure of first.
Only the top two from each of the three groups of six are guaranteed a place in North America next summer, while those that finish third and fourth advance to another stage of qualification.
It goes without saying that Saudi Arabia want to take the direct route. Here are five things we learned from this World Cup qualification window.
The Japan result was a good one
Four points from the two games is a good showing. The China game should have ended with a more emphatic scoreline and ideally would have been followed by victory in Japan.
Coach Herve Renard said after the 0-0 draw that he would have taken the point if he had been offered it 24 hours earlier, and understandably so. Japan are the best team in Asia by some distance, even if they had already qualified.
If Saudi Arabia do miss out on the automatic places for the World Cup it will not be because of the stalemate in Japan but because of earlier home draws with Indonesia and Bahrain. If six points had been taken in those two games under Roberto Mancini, then the result in Saitama Stadium would have been hailed as an excellent one. The same could be said if Australia had not picked up six points in the last five days.
Attacking threat sacrificed for defensive solidity
Renard did not need to say that he would have taken a point: His game plan and tactics made it obvious that this was what he wanted.
There was talk about keeping it tight for the opening exchanges and then perhaps getting down the wings to cause problems for the East Asians.
The first part of that equation happened, but the second? Not really. There was little in terms of attacking threat from the visitors. There were long balls out of defence but Firas Al-Buraikan was often left isolated on the rare occasions that the ball went into dangerous areas.
Yet the concentration, the tactical discipline and hard work were impressive. Saudi Arabia frustrated a better team away from home and while there was luck at times, they are only the second team to take points from Japan in 14 World Cup qualifiers.
Jehad Thakri impresses
With injuries at the back, a problem not helped by Hassan Kadesh getting carried off against China, there were some understandable worries against the team with the most firepower in Asia. There may have been a few nerves when Renard handed a debut to Jehad Thakri but the Al-Qadsiah center-back did not display any signs of them as he took the field at Saitama Stadium on the right side of a three-man defense.
The 23-year-old has made a name for himself this season in the Saudi Pro League and looks like he belongs on the international stage too as he was confident, strong and hard to beat. His distribution was not quite as impressive but there is time for that to develop, especially as there will not be many games when Saudi Arabia are under so much pressure. With Nawaf Boushal also impressing, there are some new names coming through.
Fatigue and injuries play a part
Following the Japan game there has been plenty of reaction on social media about how extending the number of foreign players allowed in Saudi Pro League squads to 10 has negatively affected the national team.
That is perhaps a debate for another day, but it should not be forgotten that the Green Falcons have had to deal with numerous injuries. Just before the China game, midfielder Mohamed Kanno was ruled out, then Kadesh was also unavailable and, perhaps most damaging of all, Roma star Saud Abdulhamid picked up an injury. There are also longer-term knocks such as Yasser Al-Shahrani and others.
And then there is the travel factor. There was a hard-fought game at home and then a long, long trip east, across six time zones, to face the best team in Asia. This should not be underestimated (and will work against Australia in the final window).
Renard has gambled on Japan
There are two games remaining, with the final clash between Saudi Arabia and Australia on June 10 — and this cannot be a dead rubber. The problem is that the Socceroos are three points clear with a much superior goal difference.
Whatever happens, Renard and his men have to win in Bahrain in the penultimate match. Then the hope is that Japan get something in Perth on the same day. Even though they have already qualified, the Samurai Blue are certainly capable of winning Down Under. There is a rivalry between the two teams and Japan would enjoy denting Australia’s World Cup hopes.
It would mean then that it all comes down to the last game. If Saudi Arabia go into the Australia match knowing that a win means second place and the World Cup, then Renard will be happy.
Saudi Arabia struggle to make an impression in Japan in World Cup qualifier
- Saudis went into the game in Saitama in third place in Asian qualifying third round Group C, one point behind Australia
SAITAMA, Japan: Saudi Arabia failed to make any significant gains in World Cup qualifying after a tame 0-0 draw against Japan in front of 58,000 fans at Saitama Stadium on Tuesday.
Japan controlled the game from the start with patient possession football and the Saudi team struggled to create chances on a cool night in Saitama just north of Tokyo.
Saudi Arabia came under early pressure from the Japanese with left winger NAKAMURA Keita giving Saudi full back Muhannad Al Shanqiti a torrid time on Saudi Arabia’s left flank.
The Japanese team played controlled football with short passes and always had a player available. In contrast, the Saudis lacked ideas and when they did manage a break, there was little or no support, making Japan’s job of defending easy.
Japan’s best chance in the half came in the ninth minute when MAEDA Daizen latched on to a through ball and directed a shot against the right post.
Japan goalkeeper SUZUKI Zion had nothing to do except a single headed clearance outside the box.
Hassan Al Tambakti resorted to launching long balls from the back, but they made little impact on the Japanese defense.
KAMADA Daichi and Nakamura continued to cause problems down Saudi Arabia’s right side, setting up a couple of half-chances for Maeda who failed to capitalize.
Saudi Arabia’s best chance came in the 22nd minute when Nawaf Bu Washl crossed to the far post, but Al Shanqiti’s header flew over the bar.
KUBO Take fuss managed a couple of breaks down the right wing, but the final ball failed to trouble the Saudi defense.
It was no surprise when Saudi Arabia replaced Al Shanqiti with Ali Hassan Majrashi at halftime and he managed to leave his mark on Nakamura in the first minute of the half as well as making some tough tackles on the Japanese winger.
In the 56th minute, TANAKA Ao nearly caught out the Saudi defense with a ball over top, but it was just beyond the reach of Maeda, who came close again two minutes later.
Saudi manager Herve Renard brought on Ziyad Aljohani and Turki Alammar in the 60th minute while Japan replaced Kubo and SUGAWARA Yukinari with ITO Junya and DOAN Ritsu.
A great break by Salem Al Dawsari in the 66th minute came to nothing as he was crowded out and the Saudis continued to struggle to create any clearcut chances.
Kamada played in ITO the 82nd minute and Nawaf Al Aqidi did well to tip the shot over the bar. Three minutes later, substitute MINAMINO Takumi headed just wide from a HATATE Reo cross.
But there was little apparent urgency from both teams and even Japan with all their possession failed to create many clearcut chances.
