Saudi Arabia’s U20 national football team secured a 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in a friendly match on Saturday evening in Jeddah. The match was part of the team’s preparation for the 2025 AFC U20 Asian Cup, which will take place in China between January and February.
The Saudi team, already qualified for the tournament, has been actively preparing during the international break.
Saturday’s encounter against the DR Congo U20 side served as a key opportunity to assess their readiness.
“The U-20 national team beat the Democratic Republic of Congo by the score of 1 to 2, during the test match which took place between them this Saturday evening, as part of the preparatory camp in Jeddah, organized in preparation for the AFC U20 Asian Cup which is being played in China in 2025,” the Saudi Football Federation confirmed in a statement on its website.
Building Momentum
This friendly match represents only the beginning of Saudi Arabia’s extensive preparations for the tournament.
The training camp in Jeddah will continue through the international break, with further sessions planned to fine-tune the squad’s tactics and build team cohesion.
Saudi Arabia is drawn into Group B for the U20 Asian Cup, where they will face tough competition from Iraq, Jordan, and North Korea.
Iraq, a formidable opponent, was the runner-up in the last edition of the tournament, making the group stage a challenging path for the Saudis.
Eyes on China 2025
As one of Asia’s prominent footballing nations, Saudi Arabia aims to perform strongly in the upcoming tournament.
With this initial win against DR Congo, the team has set a positive tone for their preparations.
The friendly also allowed head coach and staff to assess their players in a competitive setting, gaining valuable insights ahead of their group-stage battles.
The journey toward the AFC U20 Asian Cup continues for Saudi Arabia, with further training and friendly matches expected in the weeks to come.
For now, the win in Jeddah stands as a promising start for the young squad as they set their sights on success in China next year.
