JEDDAH: The Saudi national team won their third preparatory friendly, 2-1 against Qatar, yesterday at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh.
The Saudis turned in their best performance in the third of the three friendly matches played this month before their World Cup’s Asian qualifying match against Iran next week. The Saudis took control of the first quarter pressuring the Qataris back to their side of field. Deprived of space to maneuver in the midfield, Qatar relied on counterattacks for most of the first half. Saudi forward Faisal Al-Sultan missed an easy chance early in the game with only the Qatari goalkeeper to beat. Latching onto a good cross from left back Abdullah Al-Zoori and positioned just two feet away from the keeper, he fired a ball way off mark for a goal kick.
Bt they did not have to wait long for the goal. Fancy footwork by Saudi midfielder Abdu Utaif in the 44th minute pulled in the first goal for home team. He slipped past two defenders before sending a powerful left footer past the Qatari goalkeeper into the net.
The goal energized the Qatari team and they had the better of the exchanges in the early part of the second half, especially in the midfield. Their efforts fructified with a superb goal in the 72nd minute off the left foot of Majed Ibrahim, who blasted a powerful shot from a few meters from the box. The Saudi team, stunned by the equalizer, worked with cohesion and soon restored their one-goal advantage four minutes later. A counterattack orchestrated by right back Abdullah Shuhail saw the ball crossed to Faisal Sultan, who met the ball on the rise and deflected it by chesting down the pass into the net.
