The first Saudi national football team continued its training, Thursday, in preparation for facing Qatar in the semi-finals of the Arabian Gulf Cup “Gulf 27”, in the presence of Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports.
The Greek Minister of Sports, Georgios Denis, met with the technical director of the Saudi national team, in the presence of Badr Al-Ruzaiza, President of the Saudi Football Federation, along with Abdulaziz Al-Musaad, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports, and Majid Al-Sahib, Acting Secretary-General of the Saudi Football Federation.
Following the meeting, a conversation took place between the Minister of Sports and Muhammad Kanno, the Saudi national team player, before the latter joined his colleagues in the training session.
On the field, Al-Akhdar continued its preparations to face Qatar, and its players conducted their training session on the training fields at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, under the supervision of Denis.
The technical staff divided the players into two groups: The first included the elements that mainly participated in the last match against Iraq, where they underwent recovery exercises, while the other group conducted a session that began with warm-up exercises, followed by tactical exercises, before concluding with a maneuver on specific areas.
The session witnessed the participation of Hassan Timbukti in the first part of the training, while Jihad Zakry was absent due to his infection with influenza, while Zakaria Hawsawi and Alaa Al Hajji continued their treatment programs accompanied by the medical team.
On Friday, the Saudi national team will conclude its preparations to face Qatar with a training session at the training fields at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, with the first 15 minutes being available to the media.
After about 10 years of waiting for the confrontation and talking about the best between them, the Saudi Mustafa Nada and the Egyptian Osama Al-Saidi are preparing to resolve the challenge inside the cage, when they meet on Friday in the main fight of the semi-final evening of the Professional Fighters League for the Middle East and North Africa region “PFL MENA”, which is hosted by Boulevard City in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
While the confrontation between Nada and Al-Saeedi carries an ancient story of rivalry, the confrontation between Saudi Arabia’s Fatima Al-Amari and Algerian Aya Lounis emerged as a challenge of a different kind, after Al-Ammari preferred to postpone the response to the fight, while Lounis told Asharq Al-Awsat that she felt that her opponent was “a little afraid” during the direct confrontation that preceded the match.
The fighters confirmed their readiness during the press conference and ceremonial weigh-in held on Thursday, amid anticipation for the decisive bouts that qualify for the final, in addition to exhibition confrontations that give the participants an opportunity to prove their abilities to the Saudi audience.
Nada and Al-Saeedi topped the scene with the story of their anticipated confrontation, as the Saudi fighter confirmed that the meeting carried special importance, after years of talking about what was best between them, before they had the opportunity to provide the answer inside the cage.
Nada said during the press conference: “This confrontation has a story that extends for about 10 years, and throughout this period there has always been talk about who is the best among us. Now we have the opportunity to settle the matter inside the cage. I respect Osama and what he has achieved, but I am confident in my abilities, and I will enter the fight to prove myself and provide the answer inside the cage.”
On the other hand, Al-Saidi stressed that the long wait adds additional importance to the confrontation, expressing his aspiration to end the sporting controversy against a competitor who knows his capabilities well.
He said: “We have waited for this confrontation for many years, and now it is time for us to meet face to face inside the cage. Mustafa is a fighter I admire and know his capabilities well, but the talk about the best has continued for a long time, and I believe that the fight is the appropriate place to resolve this challenge.”
In the confrontation with the women, Al-Amari chose brief language to express her readiness to meet Lounis, stressing her respect for her opponent, while leaving the decision to what she will present in the fight.
Al-Ammari told Asharq Al-Awsat: “I respect my opponent, and I do not like to prolong the conversation, and the action will take place inside the ring tomorrow, Friday.”
Confidence was also present in the speech of her mother, Lulwa Al-Ammari, who assured Al-Sharq Al-Awsat of her daughter’s readiness to deal with various possibilities, saying: “My daughter is always ready for any fight and any scenario.”
Al-Ammari confirmed during the press conference that fighting the confrontation in front of the Saudi audience gives her a special incentive, and allows her to demonstrate her development and the growing ambition of Saudi female fighters in mixed martial arts.
She said: “Every opportunity in which I fight in front of the Saudi audience holds special importance for me. I look forward to taking advantage of this confrontation to demonstrate the progress I have reached, and to present a level that reflects the work we are doing and the growing ambition of Saudi female fighters in this sport.”
On the other hand, Algerian Aya Lounis is preparing to fight her first fight in mixed martial arts, stressing that her first appearance in the “PFL” competitions in Saudi Arabia represents a milestone that she is proud of.
Lonis told Asharq Al-Awsat: “I am honored to fight my first fight in mixed martial arts and in the PFL in Saudi Arabia.”
Although she acknowledged Al-Ammari’s superiority in terms of the number of fights, Lounis expressed her confidence in the experiences she gained in different combat specializations, noting that her previous experience gives her tools to compete in her first appearance.
She added: “Fatima Al-Amari has more experience in terms of the number of fights, but I have experience in boxing, strikes, and ground wrestling, and I have previously faced champions at the Arab level.”
When asked whether Saudi fighter Hattan Al-Saif supported her during her camp, Fatima confirmed that Hattan Al-Saif’s success is part of her success, and they represent Saudi Arabia under the umbrella of MMA, and the support does not matter from where or to whom, as long as they honor the country in such forums.
The Algerian fighter raised the bar when she talked about her impression while standing face to face with Al Amari before the fight, saying: “In the direct confrontation before the fight, I felt that she was a little afraid.”
Between Al-Ammari’s confidence and Lounis’ reliance on her experiences in combat sports, the two fighters enter the confrontation with two different ambitions. Saudi Arabia to show its development to the fans of its country, and Algeria to record a strong start in mixed martial arts.
In the main joint fight, the Jordanian Hazem Kayali faces the Moroccan Badr Al-Din Diani for the ticket to qualify for the welterweight final, in a confrontation to which Diani’s statements to Asharq Al-Awsat added more challenge. The Moroccan fighter said: “My opponent Hazem is young in age and very excited about the fight, but I do not see him as an opponent with my level and great experience.”
Diagne confirmed during the press conference that reaching the semi-finals does not represent the ceiling of his ambition, saying: “Reaching the semi-finals is important, but the goal for me is to continue the path. I know Hazem’s potential and I respect him as my competitor, and I expect a strong fight, but I have confidence in my preparations and in my ability to achieve victory and advance to the final.”
As for Kayali, he described the match as one of his most important fights. Given the opportunity he has to move to the final, she stressed that he worked a lot to reach this stage.
He said during the press conference: “This is one of my most important confrontations, because winning means moving to the final. Badr El-Din is a strong fighter and deserved to reach this stage, and I, in turn, worked a lot for this opportunity. “I will enter the fight with full concentration, and my goal is to give my best and secure the qualification ticket.”
Diagne received the support of Egyptian Omar Al-Dafrawi, champion of the first edition of “PFL MENA”, who expressed his admiration for the appearance of rising names in the current edition, expressing his hope that the Moroccan fighter would be crowned champion.
Al-Dafrawi told Asharq Al-Awsat: “In this edition, we witnessed new rising names, but I hope that Moroccan Badr Al-Din Diani will achieve the title.”
Al-Dafrawi also talked about the work he put in to develop his level and enhance his position, adding: “I worked a lot to develop myself, and today my name is one of the best Arab names in strong fights.”
The evening will also witness an exhibition confrontation between the Saudi Redha Al-Nimr and the Bahraini Ahmed Al-Shuwaikh, as Al-Nimr confirmed that he is taking the meeting with complete seriousness, and seeks to demonstrate his skills in front of the Saudi audience.
He said: “I take every confrontation with complete seriousness, and for me this is an opportunity to present the level I have reached and demonstrate my skills in front of the audience. “Ahmed is a good competitor, and I look forward to a strong fight in which we can present a distinctive image of Arab fighters.”
In turn, Al-Shuwaikh stressed that the showy nature of the confrontation does not diminish his desire to present the best possible performance, saying: “Our presence on this evening is an important opportunity to present a confrontation worthy of the audience. I respect Reda as a fighter, and I expect the fight to be strong and entertaining. My goal is to demonstrate my abilities, benefit from this experience, and provide a level that reflects my readiness.”
For his part, Jerome Mazet, Director General of the Association, confirmed that the tournament is entering a decisive stage, with the fighters approaching the final and competing for the season titles.
He said during the press conference: “We have reached a decisive stage of the season, and the fighters are one win away from reaching the final and competing for the title. We expect strong confrontations that reflect the outstanding level presented by the participants throughout the tournament.”
Mazet praised the Saudi support for the league and its role in providing a professional platform for Arab talent, adding: “We extend our thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its continued support for the league. The Arab region is full of talent, and we have fighters from different countries who have proven their abilities and competitive levels, and we seek to continue providing a platform that gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their potential and develop at the professional level.”
After the press conference, the fighters stood face to face during the ceremonial weigh-in, in their final appearance before Friday’s fights, as Nada and Al-Saidi await the resolution of their old challenge, and the confrontation between Al-Amari and Lounis tests the promises made by the two fighters, while the participants in the semi-finals compete to continue the path towards titles.
On Thursday, Saudi Arabia achieved a remarkable day at the 20th Asian Games, “Nagoya 2026,” after the show jumping team clinched the gold in the team competition, raising the Saudi team’s tally to 12 medals, on a day that witnessed the addition of five new medals, including three bronzes in jiu-jitsu, and a bronze in electronic sports.
The quartet, Abdul Rahman Al-Rajhi, Saad Al-Ajmi, Khaled Al-Mubti, and Ramzi Al-Dahami, awarded Saudi Arabia the first gold in the current edition, while the UAE won the silver, and Japan won the bronze.
The Saudi knights continued their dominance in team show jumping, achieving the fifth gold medal in the recent Asian editions, while Qatar was the only gold holder that escaped them during this series.
The Saudi knights raised their historic tally in the Asian Games to 11 medals. The harvest began with team gold in Doha 2006, then team gold, and individual gold and bronze in Guangzhou 2010, before Abdullah Al-Sharbatly achieved individual gold and team silver in Incheon 2014. Team gold returned in Jakarta 2018, along with Ramzi Al-Dahami’s bronze in singles, then team gold, and Sharbatly’s gold in singles during Hangzhou 2022.
Prince Abdullah bin Fahd, President of the Saudi Equestrian Federation, confirmed that retaining the gold medal reflects the strength of the group. He told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The Saudi team achieved gold in the last session, and continuing in the same position is not an easy matter, but it is also not difficult in the presence of knights who fought in the field and proved their presence.”
He added: “The competition was strong between the Saudi team and the teams of the Emirates, Qatar, and Japan, and the differences were very slight, whether in time errors or obstacle errors, and the results were close, but thank God it was decided by Saudi hands.”
He explained that the team demonstrated its ability to deal with changes, adding: “The last tournament and the Nagoya tournament proved that the Saudi team works as one team, and that all riders complement each other.” He pointed out that the reserve rider entered instead of one of his colleagues, as happened in the last session, stressing that all riders are keen to present the best image of the Kingdom.
In turn, Ramzi Al-Dahami told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The heroes who were with me, each one of them played his role and more. We came here, and our focus was on gold, and thank God we returned with it.”
Regarding the pressures associated with Saudi equestrianism, he said: “Some people believe that equestrian championships are easy, and that achieving gold is guaranteed, but the competition is very strong, and everyone is developing and trying to compete with the Saudi team.” He added: “Experience may have played a role, along with the skill of the participating riders, but no championship is ever guaranteed.” He stressed that “Saudi Arabia deserves this achievement, and we consider what we have achieved to be the least we can offer it.”
As for Khaled Al-Mubti, who made two mistakes in the first round before presenting a clean second round, he said: “We started the first round excellently, and my colleagues made clean rounds, while I made two mistakes, so I tried to improve my performance in the second round, and thank God I was able to finish it without mistakes.”
He added: “My colleagues carried the burden in the first round, and in the second we were able to share the responsibility with them and provide a clean round,” noting that the competition was close, and that all teams attended with high-level horses and riders.
Saad Al-Ajmi participated in his first participation in the Asian Games, and said: “Praise be to God that I was up to the responsibility and gave good rounds. The credit, after God, goes to the team’s riders, and all members of the system, whether from the Olympic Committee, those responsible for the horses, or the training staff.”
He added: “There was no fear, but the pressure is definitely there. Whether it is your first participation, or your tenth, you only came here to perform at a high level.”
Abdul Rahman Al Rajhi caught the attention with a swimming simulation celebration after winning the gold, and he told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Saudi gold is not new when you are alongside champions like Khaled Al-Mubti. “When you compete with champions who motivate and encourage you, it pushes you to bring out your best.”
He added: “In light of the support of the leadership, and the attention and follow-up that Saudi sports receive, and under the leadership of the Minister of Sports, we feel a great responsibility, as the burden is heavy to always live up to good expectations.”
Regarding his celebration, he said: “The swimming celebration came in response to what happened at the World Championships, when we were not successful and fell at the water barrier. I said at the time that our response would be on the field, and today, praise be to God, we glorified ourselves with gold.”
The rest of the Saudi medals came through e-sports and jiu-jitsu. The “League of Legends” team won bronze, while Khaled Habab and Abdul Malik Al-Mardi won bronze in the under-62 kilograms in jiu-jitsu, and Mohammed bin Huraymel added a bronze in the under-69 kilograms.
Thus, the Saudi team raised its tally to 12 medals, including one gold, two silver, and nine bronze, occupying 24th place. The results were divided into five sports: equestrian, athletics, e-sports, jiu-jitsu, and karate.
In the Arab world, the UAE raised its tally to five golds and four silvers after a strong day in combat sports, which saw three golds in jiu-jitsu and a gold in judo, ranking 14th.
Qatar, in turn, secured at least silver in beach volleyball, after Sherif Younis and Ahmed Tijan reached the final, as they are looking for the third gold in a row after Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022, while the organizing committee of the Doha Asiad 2030 confirmed its readiness for any possible change in the date of the next session.
The Saudi Knights continued their dominance in team show jumping, achieving their fifth gold medal in the recent Asian editions
