Saudi Arabia Falls to 10-Man Oman in Gulf Cup Semifinal
Despite a numerical advantage for over 75 minutes, Saudi Arabia suffered a 2-1 defeat against 10-man Oman, resulting in their elimination from the Gulf Cup.
Saudi Arabia faced a surprising 2-1 loss to Oman in the Gulf Cup semifinal, despite playing with a one-player advantage for the majority of the match. The defeat has raised concerns about the team's performance under coach Hervé Renard.
The match began with Saudi Arabia creating early opportunities. In the 3rd minute, a free-kick by Musab Al-Juwayr was saved by Oman's goalkeeper. Shortly after, a cross from Nawaf Al-Boushal found Sultan Al-Ghannam, who struck the side netting.
In the 25th minute, Saudi Arabia missed a significant chance when Abdullah Al-Hamdan's cross reached Marwan Al-Sahafi, but he failed to convert with the goal open.
The turning point seemed to come in the 34th minute when Oman's Al-Mundhir Al-Alawi received a red card for a tackle on Salem Al-Dawsari, leaving Oman with ten players. Despite this disadvantage, the first half ended goalless.
Saudi Arabia thought they had taken the lead in the 60th minute through Abdullah Al-Hamdan, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Contrary to expectations, Oman opened the scoring in the 74th minute. A low free-kick by Arshad Al-Alawi surprised the Saudi defense, finding the back of the net.
Oman doubled their lead in the 84th minute. A quick throw-in by Jameel Al-Yahmadi reached Abdulrahman Al-Mashrif, who set up Ali Al-Busaidi for an easy finish.
Saudi Arabia responded three minutes later when Mohammed Kanno scored with a precise shot from outside the box, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
Despite late efforts, Saudi Arabia couldn't find an equalizer, leading to their elimination from the tournament. The result has intensified scrutiny of Hervé Renard's tenure as head coach, with fans and analysts questioning the team's tactics and resilience.
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