JEDDAH — In preparation for the upcoming World Cup 2026 qualifiers and the Asian Football Cup in Qatar next year, the Saudi national football team faced Mali in a friendly match in Portugal on Tuesday. The Saudi team suffered a 1-3 defeat, conceding two goals in the first half. Italian coach Roberto Mancini is still seeking his first victory since taking charge of the Saudi team in August. Under his leadership, the team has faced three losses and managed to secure a draw in one match. Mali took the lead with a powerful shot from Moussa Doumbia, which deflected off defender Ali Lajami and found its way into the net after 14 minutes of play. The Saudi team faced a setback when captain Salman Al-Faraj had to leave the field due to injury in the 38th minute. Shortly before the end of the first half, Hamari Traoré extended Mali's lead to 2-0 with a well-placed shot from the far corner after a one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais. In the 58th minute, Salem Al-Dowsari narrowed the gap with a splendid left-sided shot. However, Mali secured their victory when Doumbia capitalized on a mistake by Saudi player Mohammed Kanno, entering the penalty area and passing to his unmarked teammate Lassine Sinayoko, who successfully scored 20 minutes before the final whistle. The Saudi national team is grouped with Jordan, Turkmenistan, and Pakistan in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers. In the Asian Cup, they are placed in Group Six alongside Thailand, Oman, and Kyrgyzstan.
