Saudi Arabia survived a scare before eventually running out comfortable 4-2 winners against Tajikistan in their AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 Group C clash at Khalifa International Stadium last night.
The defending champions showcased their array of attacking talents to lead the group ahead of a meeting with Thailand on Friday, with the Southeast Asian side also on maximum points after their impressive 2-0 win over Iraq earlier in the day.
Saad Al Shehri’s side started on the front foot and found the breakthrough on 17 minutes. A quickly taken short corner kick routine gave Mohammed Waheeb the opportunity to deliver a cross to the far post that was met with a thumping header by centre-back Rayan Hameed.
Tajikistan did not let their heads drop and were back on level terms six minutes later when Mehron Madaminov swung in a long cross that was nodded back by Amadoni Kamolov for Ruslan Khailoev to smash into the top corner.
At the half hour mark, referee Ko Hyung-jin was asked to review a challenge by Shuhrat Elmurodov that looked to have caught Saudi Arabia captain Faisal Al Ghamdi on the shin with the final decision being only a yellow card shown to the Tajik player, a decision that would be repeated later in the half for a challenge by Waheeb on Kamalov.
Saudi Arabia looked destined to go into the break in the lead when Abdullah Radif rounded Tajikistan custodian Muhriddin Hasanov in the 37th minute and rolled the ball into an empty net but Manuchehr Safarov raced back to clear on the goal line.
The defending champions, however, were not to be denied in the eighth minute of first half added time with Radif racing clear on the right hand side before squaring a perfect pass for the on-rushing Haitham Asiri to sweep home.
Saudi Arabia widened their lead 10 minutes into the second half as a surging Radif found Asiri who then laid the ball for Aiman Yahya to place an accurate shot into the bottom corner past Hasanov.
Another quick break in the 61st minute saw Yahya get his second, the half-cleared ball fell kindly for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2022 Most Valuable Player on the edge of the box which the 22-year-old finished with a sumptuous strike.
Tajikistan responded almost immediately, pulling a goal back three minutes later after Kamalov went on a mazy run to fend off two Saudi markers before setting up substitute Rustam Soirov for a spectacular finish into the roof of the net from close range.
A misplaced pass from Waheed at the edge of his own goal with goalkeeper Saleem Al Absi out of position nearly set up a grandstand finish but Soirov’s poor first touch after intercepting the pass saw the chance go to waste.
Soirov was in the thick of the action again in the 87th minute after referee Ko deemed that the Tajikistan player was brought down by Al Absi but the decision was overturned after a VAR review as Saudi Arabia saw out the win.
Meanwhile, Thailand got off to a dream start after they produced a 2-0 victory against Iraq in their Group C tie at the Al Janoub Stadium.
A clinical performance from Ithsara Sritharo’s charges saw them net once in each half to secure a stunning result, which was also their first ever success against Iraq at U23 level having lost three of their previous six encounters to date.
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