Saudi Arabia overcome Australia to reach 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup final

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia have reached the final of the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup after beating Australia 2-0 on Wednesday at Pakhtakor Central Stadium in Tashkent. The goals in the last-four clash came from Hussain Al-Eisa on 20 minutes and Ayman Yahya after 72 minutes.

The Young Falcons will now meet hosts Uzbekistan, who defeated Japan 2-0 in the second semifinal. The victory maintained Saudi’s 100 percent winning record in the semifinals of the competition, though on the previous two occasions they reached the final they have failed to go on and win the title.

Saad Al-Shehri’s team will have a chance to put that right on Sunday. In 2014, Saudi Arabia defeated Jordan 3-1 in the semifinals of what was then the AFC U-22 Championship — delayed from 2013 — with goals by Abdullah Al-Ammar, Muhammad Majrashi and Abdulfattah Asiri, before losing 1-0 to Iraq in the final.