Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Al Owais reveals fans’ role in Gulf 27 triumph

Mohammed Al Owais says the support of Saudi Arabia’s fans and the prayers of his family helped the team overcome the pressure of winning the Arabian Gulf Cup “Gulf 27”.

The goalkeeper was speaking to Al Kass Channels after Saudi Arabia beat the United Arab Emirates 2-0 in the final to lift the trophy in front of their home supporters.

“The prayers of my parents, my wife and my children, along with the fans, helped us,” Al Owais said. “The pressure in Gulf tournaments is huge.”

Al Owais also highlighted the impact of the crowd during the decisive match, saying the supporters had played a major part in helping the team settle the contest.

“Our fans got it done in 10 minutes and solved the issue, then our players controlled the next 80 minutes,” he added.

The victory completed an impressive campaign for Saudi Arabia, who secured the title without conceding a goal during their run to the final.

The triumph also provided an important step towards the national team’s wider ambitions. Al Owais said the squad now wanted to compete for major honours beyond the regional tournament.

“I hope we win the Asian Cup and qualify for the World Cup,” he said.

Saudi Arabia’s success against the United Arab Emirates secured the Gulf 27 title in front of their own supporters and gave the team a platform from which to pursue those targets in future competitions.