Saudi Arabia is the first Arab team to qualify for the World Cup in Russia

[Kaniska]

Saudi Arabia is the first Arab team to qualify for the World Cup in Russia

Qualification goal scorer Fahad al-Muwalad of Saudi Arabia fights for the ball with Yuto Nagatomo of Japan. (Reuters)

Staff writer, Al Arabiya English
Tuesday, 5 September 2017

Saudi Arabia has qualified to the world cup in Russia 2018 after beating Japan 1-0 in Jeddah.

Fahad al-Muwalad who came in as a substitute secured the win after scoring a screamer in to the top corner of the Japanese goal in the second half.

The goal came after intricate passing football allowed midfielder Nawaf al-Abed to slide through a sublime pass putting al-Muwalad in front of goal ahead of the backpeddling Japanese defenders.

Nawaf al-Abed celebrating after the win in Jeddah's King Abdullah Sports City. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia’s coach, Dutch Bert van Marwijk, celebrated his side’s first world cup appearance since Germany 2006.

Iran and Japan have already secured places at Russia 2018 as winners of Groups A and B while South Korea secured the second position in Group A.

Saudi Arabia's win made them the first Arab team to qualify for the Russia 2018 World Cup with Syria yet to play Australia in the play off for the fifth Asian seat.

Egypt and Tunisia, who are playing in the African Qualifiers, are also close to securing spots in Russia after Egypt beat Uganda 1 - 0 and Tunisia Drew 2 - 2 with the Demcoratic Republic of Congo.

Syria clinched the third spot in Group A on Tuesday when Omar Al Soma’s late goal earned Ayman Hakeem’s side a dramatic draw with Iran that pushed Uzbekistan out of the playoff positions.

Syria players celebrating after the dramatic draw with Iran at the Azadi Stadium. (AFP)


Syria took the lead in Tehran and became the first team to score against Iran in 13 qualification matches when Tamer Haj Mohamed netted from close range after Al Soma’s free kick had been fumbled by Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.

A double from Sardar Azmoun looked to have given Iran all three points until Al Soma - playing only his second match for Syria since his return from a self-imposed exile - slid the ball through Beiranvand’s legs to level deep into stoppage time.

The draw meant Syria finished level on 13 points with Uzbekistan but took third place on goal difference.

(Reuters)

Last Update: Wednesday, 6 September 2017 KSA 05:11 - GMT 02:11

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/sp...a-can-secure-a-World-Cup-berth-in-Russia.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Abdullah_Sports_City

The King Abdullah Sports City is a world class stadium and the local Jeddawi home crowd (almost 70.000 people) create one of the best atmospheres in the AFC.



Wonderful to read the brotherly comments from across the Arab world after yesterday's game and qualification. Especially our Iraqi brothers and sisters were active in congratulating KSA.

Hopefully our Egyptian, Syrian, Tunisian and Moroccan brothers will be next so that we can have 5 Arab teams in Russia next year.

Congratulation...!!!!

 

[Gomig-21]

https://twitter.com/x/status/917102821266378752

 

[Gomig-21]

https://twitter.com/x/status/917320661713874944

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Tunisia, Morocco and Syria (most importantly here for obvious reasons) next, Insha'Allah.

https://twitter.com/x/status/917102821266378752

.أجمل التهاني لمصر الحبيبة التأهل لمونديال كأس العالم ٢٠١٨ في روسيا بجانب شقيقتها السعودية
.مبروك لكل العرب​

https://twitter.com/x/status/917320661713874944

.فرحتنا مع اخواننا في مصر​

https://twitter.com/x/status/917115384108605440

 

[Gomig-21]

.أجمل التهاني لمصر الحبيبة التأهل لمونديال كأس العالم ٢٠١٨ في روسيا بجانب شقيقتها السعودية
.مبروك لكل العرب

نعم مابروك لنا جميعا أوبال كأس العالم إن شاء الله
The country didn't sleep at all last night lol! It's been 28 years.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

نعم مابروك لنا جميعا أوبال كأس العالم إن شاء الله
The country didn't sleep at all last night lol! It's been 28 years.

Muhammad Saleh is quite a footballer! Insane speed. We (my family members interested in football - brothers, father, uncles, nephews, cousins etc.) always joke that he gained his remarkable speed by running after Arabian horses next to the Pyramids and in the desert as a young boy. I have never seen a faster footballer!

Yes, an entire generation has yet to see Egypt participate in a World Cup but they have seen many ACN triumphs at least! And what an ending! The palms of my hands were almost dripping before the penalty kick!

 

[-blitzkrieg-]

Congratulations to Saudia.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

A shame that Syria lost against the Convicts. They were really close to advancing to the next and final qualification round. The red card in the overtime killed them. Hopefully they will qualify for the next World Cup in Qatar (will be like home for every Arab nation) and no longer be at war or ruled by the Al-Assad regime!

Tunisia is very close to qualify @HannibalBarca while Morocco just need to win or draw against Ivory Coast in the last match which will not be an easy feat nevertheless, Morocco has a great generation. I believe in them.

So for now KSA and Egypt have managed to qualify. Insha'Allah Tunisia and Morocco will be next.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Al-Hilal (KSA) just qualified for the AFC Champions League finals (equivalent of the Champions League in Europe) after beating the Iranian Persepolis 6-2 over 2 matches. The first match ended with a smashing 4-0 victory and the return leg today ended 2-2.

Al-Hilal won 4-0 despite playing with a player less for 70 minutes!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_AFC_Champions_League_knockout_stage#Persepolis_v_Al-Hilal

This will be a record fifth final for Al-Hilal. No other team in AFC Champions League history has ever reached 5 finals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_Champions_League

Another good news for Saudi Arabian football although we could have had an all-Saudi Arabian semifinal in the Western conference.

 

[Gomig-21]

Al-Hilal won 4-0 despite playing with a player less for 70 minutes!

Was that Abdullah's 2nd yellow card that got him the red and kicked out of the match? It had to be because that wasn't a very flagrant foul to deserve the red card right away. But either way, those 4 goals were each really beautiful shots, including the header.

 

[HannibalBarca]

A shame that Syria lost against the Convicts. They were really close to advancing to the next and final qualification round. The red card in the overtime killed them. Hopefully they will qualify for the next World Cup in Qatar (will be like home for every Arab nation) and no longer be at war or ruled by the Al-Assad regime!

Tunisia is very close to qualify @HannibalBarca while Morocco just need to win or draw against Ivory Coast in the last match which will not be an easy feat nevertheless, Morocco has a great generation. I believe in them.

So for now KSA and Egypt have managed to qualify. Insha'Allah Tunisia and Morocco will be next.

Thx, but we are already qualified since weeks... even tho' we are not finished yet... we are light ahead of the group...
WE were already qualified even before Egypt last match ( since they were on the razor line for qualification)
even more, we were sure to be qualified at the same day KSa played vs Japan,where we made a draw with COngo and therefore, already qualified... ( even if we lose the next 2, we will be second)
SO we can say that WE were sure to be qualified at the same day as KSA 4th tour match against Japan.

and to push it even more, Tunisia is the first to be qualified among arab countries since our match was at 18:30 and KSA one at 20:30

Anyway COngrats BRothers. hope for a place in Final

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Thx, but we are already qualified since weeks... even tho' we are not finished yet... we are light ahead of the group...
WE were already qualified even before Egypt last match ( since they were on the razor line for qualification)
even more, we were sure to be qualified at the same day KSa played vs Japan,where we made a draw with COngo and therefore, already qualified... ( even if we lose the next 2, we will be second)
SO we can say that WE were sure to be qualified at the same day as KSA 4th tour match against Japan.

and to push it even more, Tunisia is the first to be qualified among arab countries since our match was at 18:30 and KSA one at 20:30

Anyway COngrats BRothers. hope for a place in Final

Brother, Tunisia is not yet qualified officially. However a win or a draw against Libya (who have nothing to play for) at home in the last match will be enough.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_–_CAF_Third_Round

So you are right that the qualification is more or less 99,9% secure but it is not yet official.

 

[Mohammed al-Faruqi]

Morocco and Tunisia qualify, for the first time 4 Arab teams qualify to the 2018 WC

https://twitter.com/x/status/929428631222407168

https://twitter.com/x/status/929429897725882368

 

[Gomig-21]

Mabrouk!

 

[Saif al-Arab]

https://twitter.com/x/status/929442940270891008

For the first time in history 4 Arab national teams have qualified for a World Cup thus 1/8 of all teams participating next year in Russia will be Arab teams. Not bad.