Our national team achieved victory over the “defending champion” Bahraini team with two unanswered goals in the first round of the second group of Gulf 27 in the match that was held at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah. The goals of our team were scored by Khoukhi Boualem in the 61st minute, and Hassan Al-Haydos in the 9th + 90th minute, thus our team achieved 3 points and occupies second place behind the leaders UAE.
Al-Moez Ali almost scored the opening goal while alone in the goal, but he did not succeed in controlling the ball to produce a goal kick. Al-Anabi continued its efforts to score, and in the 15th minute, Akram Afif wasted an opportunity for our team, following a distinguished team game by our team members, which started with Sultan Al-Breik from the left side, who passed it to Al-Moez Ali, who passed it to Afif, but his shot did not hit the goal. Our players continued the series of wasting opportunities after Akram Afif wasted an opportunity. It was achieved in the 42nd minute while he was inside the penalty area, but the shot came strong over the goal, ending the first half in a draw. In the second half, our team succeeded in cutting the match’s scoring tape with a goal by Khoukhi Boualem from a header in the 61st minute after receiving a perfect cross from Akram Afif. Our team was forced to complete the match with ten players after Ahmed Fathi was sent off in the 70th minute after receiving the second yellow card, which made coach Lopetegui go for defensive insurance, and in the last minute, through a wonderful start from Hassan Al-Haydos, who dribbled past the Bahraini players to go one-on-one with the goal, but Abbas Al-Asfour He obstructed him, and a penalty kick was awarded to our team, and Al-Asfour was sent off. Al-Haydos scored the second goal in the 9+90 minute, ending with two goals without a response for our team.
Golden header “Peach”
Khoukhi Boualem gave our national team the lead against the Bahraini team, after he scored the lead goal in the 61st minute, benefiting from a wonderful cross sent by Akram Afif into the penalty area.
Boualem rose to the ball confidently, before putting it with his golden header against the Bahraini national team, announcing Annabi’s lead with an unanswered goal, amid great joy from the national team players and fans.
“Al-Hamra” is investigating Fathi
Ahmed Fathi, a player for our national team, was sent off during the match against the Bahraini team that was held yesterday, after the match referee showed the red card in his face after he received the second yellow card in the 70th minute of the match.
The second card came against Ahmed Fathi after he intervened to obstruct Abbas Al-Asfoor, the Bahraini national team player. The referee decided to show the second yellow card and then the red card, and the national team player left the field 20 minutes before the end of the match.
Boualem: We crossed a respectable team
Khoukhi Boualem, a player for our national team, expressed his happiness with the victory achieved by Al-Annabi over Bahrain, stressing that the match was not easy against a respectable team.
He said, “I am happy with the award for best player in the match, but what is more important for us is to achieve victory, and the match was difficult against a respectable team. Thank God we were able to achieve our goal and come out with full points, which gives us great motivation to continue the journey.”
He added: “Now we have to focus on our match against Yemen.”
Lopetegui started with great force
Our national team’s coach, Spaniard Lopetegui, started the confrontation with Bahrain with strong force, and the national team’s lineup came with a 4-3-3 plan, which was as follows:
Mahmoud Abu Nada in the goalkeeper, Pedro, Khoukhi Boualem, Ayoub Al-Alawi and Sultan Al-Breik in the defense line. In the midfield, Karim Boudiaf, Assem Madbou and Ahmed Fathi, while the offensive line is led by the trio Akram Afif, Al-Moez Ali and Ahmed Al-Janahi.
Al-Haydos: Winning is a strong moral motivation
Hassan Al-Haydos, captain of our national team, said: “I congratulate the players, the technical and administrative staff, as well as our fans who came and supported us on the field, and those who followed us behind the screens. “It was a difficult match against the defending champion, and we succeeded in achieving an important victory.”
He added: “The first half witnessed some reservations from both teams, and in the second half we had some opportunities and succeeded in scoring the first goal. Then came the expulsion, which made the match difficult for us, but we held on until the end and were able to score the second goal and achieve three important points against a strong team.”
Regarding his conversation with Ahmed Fathi after the expulsion case, Al-Haydos said: “I told him that what happened happened, and after I entered the field, I spoke with Madibo and Fathi and said to them: Be careful because you have warnings. In the end, thank God, we achieved victory.”
He continued: We will certainly miss Ahmed Fathi in the Yemen match due to the expulsion, but this victory represents a great morale boost.
Our fans congratulate Saudi Arabia on National Day
Our fans were keen to congratulate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the occasion of the 96th National Day, before the match between our national team and Bahrain yesterday, before the start of the match, by raising the banner, “Happy New Year to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, leadership, government and people…on the occasion of the 96th Saudi National Day.”
Al-Annabi fans painted a wonderful picture in the stands of Al-Liqa Stadium in Jeddah, after they attended in remarkable numbers to support the team and stand behind it in its mission.
Al Annabi fans arrived in Jeddah from Doha, in a scene that reflects the Qatari fans’ keenness to support their national team wherever they go, amid an enthusiastic atmosphere that reflects the fans’ passion for the national team.