Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Al Shehri on target against Oman as Saudis keep pace with Socceroos

Al Shehri on target against Oman as Saudis keep pace with Socceroos

Saleh Al Shehri earned Saudi Arabia their second win in a row as Herve Renard's side beat Oman 1-0 in Muscat on Tuesday to move level on points with Australia at the top of Group B in Asia's final round of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
Al Shehri struck after a clever backheel from Fahad Al Muwallad three minutes before the break to take Saudi Arabia onto six points after two games behind the Australians, who defeated Vietnam 1-0 earlier on Tuesday.

Japan, surprise losers in their opening game against Oman last week, bounced back to beat China 1-0 in Doha thanks to Yuya Osako's first half goal, moving Hajime Moriyasu's side level with the Omanis on three points.

The Japanese side were dominant in the opening 45 minutes against Li Tie's team but had to wait until the 43rd minute before Osako volleyed in Junya Ito's cross from the right wing.

The defeat was China's second in a row and leaves the east Asians bottom and without a point along with Vietnam.

Iran, meanwhile, underlined their World Cup credentials with an impressive 3-0 win over neighbours Iraq in Doha to claim a second straight Group A victory.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh gave Dragan Skocic's team the perfect start when he rose high to meet Mehdi Taremi's cross, powering home a third minute header that goalkeeper Fahad Talib could not keep out.

Taremi then turned from provider to scorer in the 69th minute when he finished off a counterattack by slipping the ball between Talib's legs.

Ali Gholizadeh added a third when he stroked the ball into the corner of the net in the 90th minute.

Iran now lead Group A with a perfect six points, two clear of South Korea, who moved onto four points with an earlier 1-0 win over Lebanon.

The United Arab Emirates missed the chance to pull level with the Koreans when, after taking the lead, Bert van Marwijk's side were pegged back in a 1-1 draw with Syria in Amman.

Ali Mabkhout hit the 77th goal of his international career to give the UAE the lead with 11 minutes on the clock, capitalising on an error by goalkeeper Ibrahim Alma to strike.

But defensive slackness from the UAE allowed Mahmoud Al Baher to smash home Syria's 64th minute equaliser as Nizar Mahrous' side picked up their first point of the campaign.

The final phase of Asia's preliminary tournament for Qatar 2022 resumes next month as teams battle for the two automatic World Cup berths available from each of the two groups.

The third placed nations, meanwhile, will advance into a series of playoffs for a possible fifth spot.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×