Saudi Arabia reach Gulf Cup semi-finals as Dounis reveals injury concerns

Saudi Arabia head coach Georgios Dounis says he was “very sad” despite his side’s 3-0 victory over Oman in the Arabian Gulf Cup, after several players sustained injuries.

The result at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah on Saturday made Saudi Arabia the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of Gulf 27. They need only draw with Iraq in their final Group stage match on Tuesday to finish top of the group.

Speaking to Abu Dhabi Sports after the match, Dounis congratulated his players and the supporters who backed the team.

“In the beginning, I must congratulate the players and the fans who supported us,” he said.

Saudi Arabia produced a strong first-half performance and took control of the match, but Dounis felt their standards dropped after the interval.

“We played well in the first half and had a good mentality, but we did not have the same mentality in the second half, when we missed several chances,” he said.

The Greece manager was particularly concerned by the number of players affected during the game. He confirmed that goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi was among those lost, while Alaa Al-Haji could be unavailable for the rest of the tournament.

“I am extremely sad because we lost some players, starting with Nawaf Al-Aqidi, as well as Alaa Al-Haji, who may be out until the end of the tournament,” Dounis said.

“Hassan Kadesh was also affected, while Mohammed Al-Qahtani was unable to take part in the match.”

Dounis said the team would assess the situation before turning its attention to the next stage, while stressing the need for greater consistency during matches.

“We will look at our future, but it is very important for us to improve and have the same mentality for the full 90 minutes,” he said.

The Saudi manager added that tactical work and movement remained central to the team’s preparation, although he believed confidence and mental strength were just as important.

“We continue to work in every match and every day on tactical matters and movement, which is very important,” he said. “But what is most important is the mentality and giving the players more confidence.”

Saudi Arabia’s supporters were also praised for creating the atmosphere at Alinma Stadium, with Dounis saying their backing had a significant role to play.

“The presence of the fans is extremely important for us. I love this atmosphere,” he said.

“It is very important for us to continue playing well and maintain our winning run so that we can make them happy.”