DOHA: A capacity crowd of 3,000 football supporters on Tuesday packed a dedicated zone in the Qatari capital to watch the Saudi national team kick off their AFC Asian Cup campaign with a hard-fought victory over Oman.
Tensions ran high in the Falcon’s Nest fan zone, set up in Doha by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, as the Green Falcons came from behind to beat the Omanis 2-1 with a last-gasp stoppage-time winner.
Fans unable to make it to the Saudi team’s opening Group F match at the Khalifa International Stadium were able to view the action on a giant screen.
SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal said: “We’re thrilled that so many fans chose Falcon’s Nest as their preferred destination to watch our men’s national team in action – this is one of the main reasons why it’s open throughout the tournament.
“They want to experience incredible atmospheres within the host nation and Falcon’s Nest offers precisely this. It’s a home of football where brilliant matchday experiences are there for everyone to enjoy,” he added.
Located within Doha’s Katara Cultural Village, the zone will be broadcasting the tournament’s matches from 4 p.m. daily until Feb. 10, when the competition final takes place.
As well as screening games, the facility, which is open to fans of all nationalities, also houses a museum showcasing the history of Saudi football.
Another area offers sports games, challenges, and football skills tests where fans can track the speed of their shots, accuracy of passes, and learn the art of chipping a ball.
In addition, a Realm of the Impossible interactive experience allows visitors to step into the boots of footballing legends and replicate some of the most iconic goals scored for Saudi Arabia in major tournaments.
And the zone also has a merchandise shop where visitors can buy customized items including Saudi national team jerseys.
The Falcon’s Nest is open daily from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. with various food and beverage options available.
Thousands flock to Falcon’s Nest fan zone for Saudi Arabia’s AFC Asian Cup opener
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Thousands flock to Falcon’s Nest fan zone for Saudi Arabia’s AFC Asian Cup opener
- ‘We’re thrilled so many fans chose Falcon’s Nest as their preferred destination to watch our men’s national team’: Saudi football federation president
- Zone can accommodate 3,000 fans, will broadcast tournament matches daily from 4 p.m.
Last-gasp strike keeps Al-Nassr top of SPL in Ronaldo’s absence
- Luis Maximiano denied Al-Nassr 9 times on nine occasions before Mohamed Simakan scored in stoppage time
- Al-Qadsiah still seek to mount unlikely title challenge after defeating Al-Kholood 4-1
DAMMAM: There was a sense of concern in the Al-Nassr camp this week. Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury was deemed more serious than initially believed by Jorge Jesus, prompting the Portuguese star to travel to Spain for treatment.
That meant that Al-Nassr’s pursuit of the title would be hindered by the absence of their leading scorer.
It was only last month, however, that Ronaldo missed two league games for Al-Nassr due to his dissatisfaction with the club’s performance during the winter transfer window. Al-Nassr won both games, but Ronaldo returned to silence his doubters, scoring four across their next five fixtures.
The reality is that after a mid-season blip, Jesus has revived the spirit within his squad. Al-Nassr came into their clash against Neom on a 10-game winning streak. It was the second time this season they had reached that mark, before Al-Ettifaq halted their run with a draw in late December.
This time, Al-Nassr were determined to break that 10-match ceiling. Standing in their way was a Neom side stuck in mid-table but talented enough to cause problems and playing with little pressure.
Replacing Ronaldo was Abdullah Al-Hamdan. After scoring the decisive goal against Arkadag in the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16 first leg — as well as the strike that sealed Al-Nassr’s victory against Al-Fayha last week — optimism around the former Al-Hilal forward was high.
Unfortunately for Al-Hamdan, he was brought back down to earth. Five attempts on goal — including a poor effort in the 63rd minute after what had been Al-Nassr’s clearest opportunity — summed up his evening. He was replaced moments later by Abdulrahman Ghareeb as Al-Nassr searched for new solutions to break down Christophe Galtier’s side.
Neom proved difficult to dismantle as a unit and even tougher in individual duels. Despite Al-Nassr focusing much of their attacking play down the left to exploit the space behind Mohammed Al-Burayk, the trio of Amadou Kone, Awn Al-Saluli and Nathan Zeze repeatedly shut them down.
Angelo Gabriel’s return to the starting line-up was a welcome sight for Al-Nassr supporters but although he posed a threat and showed flashes of creativity on the ball, the hosts were wasteful in front of goal. With 24 shots and nine saves by Luis Maximiano, it felt like a game where a draw would feel like defeat.
Joao Felix was by far Al-Nassr’s most influential attacking outlet. His subtle movement between the lines created passing options through Neom’s defensive block and he threatened Maximiano’s goal on several occasions occasion, though without success.
Most notably, two shots within the space of a minute saw Felix denied by the Portuguese goalkeeper. Al-Nassr threw numbers forward, practically stationed on the edge of the box, but he remained unbeatable.
The final 10 minutes saw the Neom goalkeeper kick into a different gear. In the 83rd minute, Angelo wriggled into the box and delivered a low cross to Sadio Mane, whose close-range effort was parried away. A minute later, Felix found himself on the edge of the six-yard box with a clear sight of goal, only for Maximiano to produce a stunning save with his shin.
In the final moments of the game, it seemed that Jorge Jesus and Al-Nassr had finally learned from their earlier frustrations and Al-Nassr finally found their way past Maximiano in stoppage time.
It was none other than Felix who created the breakthrough, delivering a dangerous cross from a free-kick, but it was not an attacker who applied the finish.
Mohamed Simakan rose above the Neom defense to power home the header at the death, sealing a 1-0 victory and securing the all-important three points to keep Al-Nassr’s advantage at the top of the table.
Elsewhere in the Saudi Pro League, Al-Qadsiah continue to keep the pressure on the top three, with a decisive 4-1 victory against Al-Kholood, which was due to be played on Thursday before Al-Qadsiah’s initial flight to Qassim. Mateo Retegui and Julian Quinones both scored a brace on the road to victory.
Meanwhile, Al-Okhdood suffered a damaging 5-0 defeat to Al-Fayha to remain deep in the relegation zone, while Al-Ettifaq and Al-Shabab shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at E’GO Stadium in Dammam.
With the conclusion of Matchday 25, the title race is set to intensify with nine match weeks remaining. Al-Nassr remain top on 64 points, with Al-Ahli in second on 62, Al-Hilal in third on 61 and Al-Qadsiah in fourth on 57.
Saudi Pro League action resumes on Thursday, with the Eastern Province playing host to all title contenders. On Friday, Al-Qadsiah host Al-Ahli in Dammam before Saturday sees Al-Fateh welcome Al-Hilal and Al-Khaleej take on Al-Nassr.
