BASRA: Saudi Arabia defeated Yemen 2-0 in their opening game of the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup on Friday to move top of Group A.
First half goals, and first international goals, from debutants Sumayhan Al-Nabit and Musab Al-Juwayr put the three-time winners in the driving seat at Basra International Stadium and that is where they stayed.
It wasn’t always comfortable for the victors but coach Saad Al-Shehri knows getting points on the board early in tournaments is crucial.
He also knows that there will be tougher tests to come against the hosts Iraq and Oman. With Al-Shehri taking an inexperienced and untested squad to Iraq –in many ways, a ‘B’ team –, it was always going to be difficult for this experimental Green Falcons line-up to hit the heights of November when the full-strength side defeated Argentina at the World Cup.