Tough group but Saudi Arabia have what it takes in Asian Cup

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s name was last out of the hat in the draw for the Asian Cup on Thursday, which meant that even before it all finished, those watching in Doha and at home knew that the destination was Group F.

It is debatable whether Thailand, Kyrgyzstan and Oman equal the “Group of Death” but it is certain that the Green Falcons will need to be at their best next January as there will be no easy games.

The ultimate target is, of course, to win a first continental title since 1996, a wait that has been too long.

The best route is through winning the group — in 2019 Saudi Arabia finished second which meant an early meeting with Japan and early elimination. A good start is crucial, though the opener may be the toughest of the lot against Oman. At least there will be few surprises against a familiar opponent.

On the face of it, with Saudi Arabia finishing first in their final 2022 World Cup qualification group and Oman in fourth, there should not be too many nerves in Riyadh, especially as the gap in points between the two teams was nine.

Yet there is more to it than that. The Reds were competitive in all of their games, finishing just one point below Australia. Compact, well-organized and quick in the attack, Oman won in Japan, defeated China and Vietnam and also drew with the Socceroos.

Their twin games with Saudi Arabia were close-run affairs and were both 1-0 wins. However, Oman felt they should have gone home with a point after missing late chances in Jeddah last year, and the same was the case in the first game in September 2021. The words “hard fought” were used on several occasions to describe the two victories.

On the plus side, no one in Saudi Arabia will be taking their fellow Arab nation lightly,