RIYADH — Belgian player Yannick Carrasco propelled Al-Shabab's football team into the quarterfinals of the King's Cup. He scored two goals that turned the tide for his team against Al-Fateh, securing a 2-1 victory in extra time during the Round of 16 match held on Tuesday at the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium in Al-Ahsa. Al-Fateh took the lead with a goal from Spanish player Cristian Tello in the 25th minute. In the second half, Carrasco, who returned from injury, equalized with a corner kick that deceived the Swedish goalkeeper Jacob Rinne in the 60th minute. The Belgian star struck again in extra time, scoring the second goal from a swift counterattack, penetrating the penalty area and unleashing a powerful shot to the right of Al-Fateh's goalkeeper in the 115th minute. Al-Shabab, aiming for their fourth title and the first since 2014, became the fifth team to advance to the quarterfinals in one of the season's most prestigious tournaments, joining Al-Hilal (defending champions), Al-Taawoun (2019 champions), Al-Faisaly (2021 champions), and Al-Khaleej. On the other hand, Al-Fateh suffered their first defeat after four consecutive victories in the Saudi Professional League.
