JEDDAH, 4 August 2003 — It was a mixed day for Saudi teams in the Seventh Sadaka Soccer Tournament in Asir yesterday. Al-Hilal of Riyadh defeated Asir 3-2 in a tight match, while Al-Ahli of Jeddah, the defending champions, suffered their second straight group defeat at the hands of the Moroccan Olympic team.
Ahli, who had lost 1-0 to Asir in the first match, again found the going tough in their second outing and lost by a similar margin to the Moroccans.
Hilal, opening their group campaign, were reduced to nine men when their goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Ghamdi and striker Abdullah Ghazi were sent off during the match, but had enough strength at the back to hold off Asir.
Hilal were up 2-1 by the break through goals from Turki Al-Shaya in the ninth minute and Ahmad Al-Suwayleh in the 44th minute after Asir had canceled out Hilal’s early strike with a Muhammad Abu Arrad goal in the 12th minute.
The Hilal side already reduced to ten people by the interval, still played attacking soccer but were stunned to see an own goal by defender Muhammad Oowaida put Asir on level terms. Oowaida was trying to clear a long lob in the 19th minute of the second half, but managed only to glance it goalward.
But Asir returned the compliment in the 26th minute by conceding an own goal. Defender Majed Al-Qaisi tried to clear first time, but saw the ball swing into the goal past a hapless Asir goalkeeper.
Today, Al-Nasr will meet Iraqi Olympic team in the first game, and Iranian team Fajr will take on the Saudi Olympic squad in the second match.
