DOHA, Qatar (AP) — With a squad filled with home league gamers and a French coach, Saudi Arabia’s surprising upset of Lionel Messi and Argentina out of the blue put the workforce within the worldwide highlight.A skyscraper in downtown Doha was lit up with the picture of Saudi Arabia’s flag Tuesday evening as followers all through the Center East celebrated the sudden victory. In London, the Saudi-owned newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat learn: “The Inexperienced Magicians Defy Expectations.”So simply who’re these guys?Whereas Saudi Arabia, the second lowest-ranked workforce within the match, doesn’t have a giant star like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, lots of the gamers had been additionally a part of the squad that went to the 2018 World Cup. However none play outdoors of their house nation.Saleh Alshehri and Salem Aldawsari turned instantaneous nationwide heroes with second-half objectives within the 2-1 victory over the Argentines. Each play for Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia’s prime league, as does goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais, who preserved the win with a pair of late saves. All three additionally performed in Russia 4 years in the past.In reality, 12 gamers on the workforce’s 26-man roster are with Al Hilal, which has gained a report 18 Saudi league championships and is coached by Ramon Diaz of Argentina. Al Nassr boasts six nationwide workforce gamers.SALEM’S MOMENTAldawsari scored the winner within the 53rd minute towards Argentina, celebrating with a cartwheel and a backflip.He’s among the best identified gamers on Saudi Arabia’s squad. Whereas he has performed for Al Hilal since 2011, he was briefly loaned to Spanish membership Villarreal and made one look.Now he owns one of many nation’s biggest-ever objectives, becoming a member of Saeed Al-Owairan, who scored the lone purpose in a victory over Belgium on the 1994 World Cup.FRENCH CONNECTIONThe Saudi workforce is led by Renard, a 54-year-old French coach who has jumped round a bunch of nationwide groups.Earlier than taking on at Saudi Arabia in 2019, he coached Morocco on the 2018 World Cup. He’s the one coach to have led two totally different nationwide groups to African Cup titles: Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast three years later.When Renard was beginning his teaching profession, he labored as a janitor and ultimately opened his personal cleansing firm.“When you’re coming right into a World Cup, you want to imagine in your self. The whole lot can occur in soccer. Typically the opponent isn’t at their finest motivation,” Renard stated. “This has occurred to us when taking part in a lower-ranked workforce. That is what different folks don’t perceive.”CLUB WORLD CUPAl Hilal is one among Asia’s prime golf equipment. Primarily based in Riyadh, the workforce went to the Membership World Cup semifinals in February. However Chelsea beat Al Hilal 1-0 on Romelu Lukaku’s close-range purpose within the thirty second minute. Chelsea went on to win the occasion, beating Palmeiras within the closing.UP NEXTAfter besting Messi, Saudi Arabia will get a shot at one other of the sport’s greatest stars, Robert Lewandowski, on Saturday towards Poland.Poland settled for a scoreless draw with Mexico in its Group C opener after Lewandowski’s second-half penalty try was stopped by Guillermo Ochoa.The Inexperienced Falcons, presently on the prime of the group, wrap up the opening stage on Wednesday towards Mexico.___
Massive upset places world highlight on Saudi Arabia’s gamers
