Saudi Arabia 1-2 Syria

AFC – DOHA, Abdulrazak Al Husein scored twice as Syria upset 2007 finalists Saudi Arabia to get their AFC Asian Cup campaign off to a thrilling start with a 2-1 win at Al Rayyan Stadium on Sunday.

Al Husein gave Syria the lead after 38 minutes only for substitute Taiseer Al Jassam to level for Saudi Arabia on the hour mark. However, Al Husein struck for a second time three minutes later to send Syria top of Group B.

The Syrians, who enjoyed vociferous support from a good crowd, began well and created the first chance after only three minutes when Wael Ayan saw a powerful shot fly wide.

Yasser Al Qahtani, who had been struggling with injury in the build-up to the game, was passed fit but the 28-year-old striker and strike partner Nassir Al Shamrani failed to impose themselves in the early exchanges.

Al Shamrani had a chance to open the scoring after 26 minutes when he ran onto a defence-splitting pass from Abdoh Autef but the 27-year-old steered his shot wide of the far post.

Syria threatened four minutes later when, following a quick counter-attack, Mohamad Al Zino unleashed a fierce shot from distance that was turned behind by Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah for a corner.

The Syrians then stunned the three-time Asian Cup champions seven minutes before the break. Osama Hawsawi could only clear a cross as far as Al Husein and his first-time shot from just inside the box took a slight deflection off the head of Abdullah Shuhail that was enough to wrong-foot Abdullah.

Saudi Arabia pressed from the very start of the second-half as they looked to get back into the game and they finally equalised on the hour mark when Manaf Aboshgair’s corner from the right was punched away by Mosab Balhous only as far as Al Jassam, who remarkably saw his header from the edge of the box fly through a crowd of players and beat the flat-footed Syria keeper.

The Saudis’ joy lasted only three minutes, however, as Sanharib Malki’s cross from the right was nodded down to Al Husein and his powerful first-time drive took a deflection off Osama Hawsawi that beat Abdullah.

Al Husein threatened to complete his hat-trick in the 68th minute following a quick counter-attack down the left but his shot from outside the box bent wide of the left upright.

Saudi Arabia had a chance to draw level for a second time four minutes later when Al Qahtani’s acrobatic pass found Naif Hazazi, who had enough time and space to pick his spot but instead fired over the crossbar.

Saudi Arabia ramped up the pressure in the final minutes of the game and they nearly snatched a point with time running out but Balhous pulled off a fantastic save to claw Hazazi’s around the post and preserve Syria’s victory.