JEDDAH: The stage is set for the final showdown today between Al-Nasr and Al-Shabab in the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Cup in Riyadh. Expected to attend the match is General Presidency of Youth Welfare President Prince Sultan bin Fahd.
On its way to the final, Nasr topped the eliminations in Group D with 12 points from four wins in home and away matches against Al-Ittifaq and Abha. Nasr faced Ittihad in the semifinals and won the match 1-0 with a fine goal from Elton Jose.
Shabab reached the final after finishing first in Group C with four wins in home and away matches against Al-Najran and Al-Wehda. Shabab took out Al-Hilal in the semifinals, winning on penalty kicks 4-2 after both teams tied 1-1 in stoppage time.
Shabab will be seeking its third title in the competition after winning the cup in 1988 and 1989.
Nasr, the defending champion, is gunning for its fourth title after winning the cup three times in 1976, 1998 and 2008. Hilal is on top of the list of champions in the competition with seven titles. Ahli, Ittifaq and Ittihad each have three championships and Al-Riyadh and Al-Qadisia one each.
Shabab enters the match fresh off a fine 3-1 victory over Al-Garrafa of Qatar in the AFC Champions League. This is the second final stint for Shabab this season. It lost the Crown Prince Cup final against Hilal 1-0 two weeks ago.
Shabab’s Argentine coach Hector is working more on the fitness of the players as the team tries to avoid being shut out in two trips to the final and more so because it has not won this tournament for more than 20 years.
Shabab football club manager, Khaled Al-Majel, said that the team is ready and buckled down to work after returning from Qatar to prepare for the final.
“We are ready more than ever and all players are aware of the great responsibility on their shoulders. Only one player is out with a knee injury and the rest are ready,” said Al-Majel. Nasr is equally upbeat about its chances. It will be banking heavily on Elton in the midfield. Nasr lost the services of the midfielder Alaa Al-Kuwaikbi due to a knee injury and will have to rely on Rayyan Bilal and Hasan Rabie in its bid to win the cup.
In a press conference in Riyadh on Thursday, Nasr’s coach said that he is not afraid of Shabab. “I know that Shabab has great players but I know how to deal with them and control them. Nasr will not be affected if one player was missing and I know how to fill the gap Alaa has caused,” he said.
