TAIF — The Saudi women's national football team kicked off their participation in the friendly international tournament with a goalless draw against Malaysia on Monday. The match took place at the King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Taif, western Saudi Arabia. Notably absent from the Saudi starting lineup were key players including Leila Ali, Sara Khalid, Mariam Al-Tamimi, Bandari Mubarak, Seba Tawfiq, Mawadi Abdulmohsen, Leen Mohammed, and Athaa Fahd due to injuries and lack of readiness. Under the guidance of coach Rosa Lappi-Seppälä, the Saudi national team is preparing for their next match against Pakistan. Pakistan are the runners-up in the inaugural edition of the international tournament, which is scheduled for next Monday. The tournament will continue until the end of the month. In another match during the same tournament, the Lebanese national team secured their first victory by defeating Laos with a score of 4-1. Zuhwa Arabi, a player for the Lebanese national team, caught the eye with an opening goal against Laos. The victory was further reinforced by goals from players Cecil Iskandar, Waad Raad, and Laila Iskandar. The tournament is divided into two groups. The first group includes Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Malaysia, while the second group features Lebanon, Laos, and Bhutan. The top two teams from each group will advance to the tournament's semifinals.
