Just one more win for Saudi to reach Qatar World Cup

RIYADH: One of the biggest games in recent Saudi Arabian football history is moving into view and if the national team defeat China next Thursday, a place in the 2022 World Cup will be secured with a game to spare.

Three points clear at the top of Group B above Japan and four clear of Australia — and those two meet in Melbourne earlier on the same day — with just two games left to play, it is all looking good for the Green Falcons. This is the first step on the final stretch to Qatar and a sixth appearance on the global stage is within touching distance.

Coach Herve Renard is taking no chances, naming his strongest squad of 26 this week with only one new face selected by the Frenchman. He called up 14 from Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr alone.

Amin Al-Bukhari comes in as the fourth-choice goalkeeper, a reward for the 24-year-old’s solid performances for Al-Nassr in recent weeks. An injury to Mohammed Al-Owais, now fit again, in the 3-2 win over China in October almost cost the team the victory and Renard wants to take a look at his options.

That will come as the team travels to Abu Dhabi at the end of the week to start a training camp ahead of the game in Sharjah (another factor in Saudi Arabia’s favor is that the game will not take place in China due to the country’s strict travel restrictions in place to combat the spread of COVID-19).

In terms of injury news, there is both good and bad for the boss. It is certainly unfortunate that Abdulelah Al-Malki damaged his cruciate ligament in February’s defeat in Japan and the defensive midfielder’s priority at the moment is trying to get fit in time to make the World Cup squad, assuming that his team-mates get the job done later this month. And center-back Ali Al-Bulaihi is also