The Saudi team, the “Gulf Champion,” returned to shake hands with its fans with an exciting victory over its South Korean counterpart (3-2), during its preparatory camp in the Qatari capital, Doha.
In the match that took place at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari Al-Sadd Club, Saudi Arabia took the lead with a goal in the last seconds of the first half, scored by Marwan Al-Sahafi, his first goal in the national team’s jersey, then South Korea tied with a goal after the start of the second half, scored by Oh Hyun-gyu.
Then, Muhammad Kanno and Abdul-Ilah Al-Omari added two goals for Saudi Arabia, before Lee Jae-sung concluded the scoring with the second goal for South Korea.
South Korea had an opportunity in the 24th minute, but Al-Omari excelled in cutting off a dangerous cross pass from Lee Kang-in, while the South Korean goalkeeper excelled in blocking a powerful ball in the 28th minute that was shot by the journalist from outside the penalty area.
Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais excelled in stopping a dangerous ball in the 45th minute. Then the journalist opened the scoring for the Saudi team in stoppage time of the first half, when he received a long pass as he set off for the penalty area, passed the goalkeeper brilliantly, and then shot the ball into an empty net.
Two minutes after the start of the second half, the South Korean national team equalized through Oh Hyun-gyu, who received a cross pass and directed the ball with a direct shot into the net.
Saudi Arabia took the lead again in the 55th minute, as Saud Abdul Hamid brilliantly penetrated the penalty area, then sent a cross to Kanu, who shot a ball that hit the post and bounced into the net.
Four minutes later, Al-Omari added the third goal for the Saudi national team with a header, following a corner kick.
Lee Jae-sung concluded the scoring with the second goal for South Korea in the 68th minute, scoring it with a skillful touch in front of the goal, following a cross pass.
Donis chose a list of 30 players to participate in the Doha camp, which began on November 9 and continues until November 17, and will witness another friendly match against Uzbekistan next Tuesday.
The list included names with international experience, led by goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais, along with Saud Abdul Hamid, Hassan Al Timbukti, Abdul Ilah Al Omari, Mohammed Kanno, Nasser Al Dosari, Musab Al Jawir, Firas Al Burikan, and Abdullah Al Hamdan, while the captain of the national team, Salem Al Dosari, was absent from the camp.
The Asian Cup draw placed the Saudi team in the first group alongside Palestine, Oman and Kuwait, while South Korea was placed in the second group alongside Uzbekistan, Bahrain and Jordan.
The Saudi sports street is anticipating the start of the winter transfer period, which is scheduled for the period from January 5 to February 2 of the new year 2027, as some clubs are moving to conclude a number of local and foreign deals, whether to strengthen their ranks or retain a number of names that will enter the free period amid increasing possibilities of them leaving for other clubs.
Even before entering this period, there is a large circulation of news, whether based on reliable sources or those that rely on expectations, reading the scene, or even rumors regarding the fate of a number of stars in the Saudi League, and the possibilities that the winter transfer period will witness a number of stars signing for other clubs after entering the last six months of their contracts. Which means that starting next summer, it will go to new clubs without any financial gains for its current clubs unless it comes to buying the rest of the contract, which is unlikely except in a few cases.
Standing on the list of widely circulated names is the veteran Saudi star Salem Al-Dosari, who signed a renewal contract with Al-Hilal the summer before last, 2025, for only two seasons. Which indicates that it is his last contract with the club, but what is certain is that even if a new contract is agreed upon, it will not exceed two seasons, and this depends mainly on the player and the club alike, especially since Salem Al-Dosari has been suffering in the recent period due to injuries and has been absent in crucial and important periods as a result of the injury, or even as a result of his low technical level. This is what called on the management, with a technical recommendation, to contract with influential foreign names in the same position in which Salem plays, specifically the Dutch international Summerville.
The only Saudi star who twice won the title of best player in Asia and who is nominated for the third title will not find the path clear in terms of imposing the financial figure he wants to renew, as happened in his previous contract. Rather, the data may make the options difficult for him in imposing a financial figure greater than what he receives in his current contract, and this is what opens the door wide open regarding speculation about his transfer to a club that could pay him a financial figure greater than what Al Hilal can offer.
The name of Al-Qadisiyah Club is being circulated as a possible destination for the player to conclude his career if he decides to leave.
The name of Al-Qadisiyah Club was not circulated as a potential destination for Salem on the spur of the moment. Rather, the club, which was acquired by the largest energy company in the world (Saudi Aramco), has huge financial capabilities and the ability to pay any financial number to any player who needs it technically or even to contribute to raising its popularity. Also, Salem Al-Dosari’s link to Al-Qadisiyah was from the first months of the acquisition of the club, when the player was negotiating a new contract with his club to choose to remain in Al-Hilal.
Al-Qadisiyah was the favorite destination for a number of stars who did not find sufficient opportunity in Al-Qadisiyah in the last two years, such as Musab Al-Jawir, with whom he was crowned the best Saudi player last season, as well as Muhammad Al-Qahtani, who began to discover himself again with Al-Qadisiyah, except for the return of player Yasser Al-Shahrani to Al-Qadisiyah after many years he spent with Al-Hilal, to decide to end his career with Al-Qadisiyah. He is likely to retire at the end of this season.
Going back, there are players in Al Hilal who chose to leave despite their historical imprints with the leader, including the player Salman Al-Faraj, who moved to NEOM two years ago.
Among the names that will be available for free transfer with the entry of the winter transfer period are players Nasser Al-Dosari, Muhammad Kanno, Hassan Timbukti, and even goalkeeper Muhammad Al-Rubaie from Al-Hilal, and from Al-Ittihad Saleh Al-Shehri, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi and Saad Al-Mousa, and from Al-Nasr there is Nawaf Bushel, and from Al-Ahly there are Rayan Hamed and Zakaria Hawsawi, and from Al-Qadisiyah there are Ali Hazazi and Abdullah Al Salem, and prominently in Al-Ittifaq Club is defender Radhi Al-Otaibi.
As for the foreign names that will enter the free period, they are led by the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, Nacho Fernandez, Koulibaly, and Joao Felix, in addition to a list of prominent names in the major clubs competing strongly in the Saudi League.
Although signing contracts with stars during the winter transfer period will not allow them to leave until next summer, the completion of some deals will remain the talk of the street for years to come due to the great value possessed by a number of stars and the overwhelming popularity they enjoy.
Abha Club officials are focusing on the file of injured players, with the resumption of the Saudi Professional League approaching, at a time when the team is seeking to achieve its first victory this season, after a difficult start that put it in last place in the standings.
According to informed sources, left-back Khaled Al-Shamrani returned to team training on Friday after a period of absence due to a hamstring injury, while expectations indicate the possibility of restoring the services of Frenchman Nabil Fekir and Belgian Michy Batshuayi before facing Al-Shabab scheduled for November 26.
On the other hand, the position of Cameroonian George Nkoudou is still undecided, as his medical condition continues to be monitored following the shoulder injury he suffered, while Basil Al-Siyali is undergoing a rehabilitation program after pelvic surgery.
Medical developments are gaining additional importance for the technical staff led by Croatian Teo Pereja, who took over the task from his compatriot Damir Buric. The team needs to restore the largest number of its members during the next stage, especially at the level of offensive options.
Medical examinations showed that Batshuayi suffered a second-degree tear in the posterior muscle during the match with NEOM, while Fekir suffered a first-degree tear during the Al-Faisaly match. Senegalese defender Abdou Diallo is ready to return to group training after recovering from a back injury.
Abha's numbers reveal the scale of the challenge facing the technical staff. The team is in eighteenth and last place with only three points from 11 matches, during which it did not achieve any victory, compared to three draws and eight defeats.
Abha scored only seven goals, at a rate of less than one goal per match, while conceding 19 goals, with a goal difference of minus 12. Its three points came from draws against Al-Khaleej, Diriyah and Al-Ittihad, leaving it seven points behind Al-Faisaly, which is in fifteenth place.
Although Pereja began its mission with a 1-1 draw against Al-Ittihad, the team still needs to translate technical improvement into victories that strengthen its position in the standings, especially as the next stage of the competition approaches.
The technical staff chose to limit themselves to internal training and maneuvers during the international break, without engaging in experimental confrontations, with the aim of raising physical readiness and developing the technical and tactical aspects.
Abha will host its counterpart Al-Shabab, which is in tenth place with 14 points, at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Mahalla, in the first test after the suspension, before playing its postponed confrontation against Al-Khuloud on December 7.
Between waiting for the injured to be fully prepared and the need to correct the course, Abha faces a challenge that goes beyond restoring absent names, which is to address the weakness of offensive effectiveness and improve defensive performance, in order to turn the chances of the upcoming matches into points that the team needs to move away from the bottom of the standings.
