DOHA — Saudi Arabia cruised to a decisive 2-0 victory against a tenacious but ultimately outplayed Kyrgyz Republic in their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 encounter at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium on Sunday. The match, witnessed by a crowd of 39,557, saw the three-time champions solidify their position in the round of 16, while the Kyrgyz team remains point-less after two games. The game began with intensity, but the Kyrgyz Republic's prospects dimmed early on. Just nine minutes in, Aizar Akmatov received a red card for a dangerous foul on Sami Al Naji. Mohammed Al Burayk's subsequent free-kick was impressively saved by Kyrgyz goalkeeper Erzhan Tokotaev. Despite being a player down, the Kyrgyz Republic put up a resilient defense. However, Saudi Arabia's persistence paid off in the 35th minute. Saud Abdulhamid, capitalizing on a rebound off the post from Abdulelah Al Malki's strike, set up Mohammed Kanno who scored at the far post. The Kyrgyz team's difficulties intensified in the second half with Kimi Merk's expulsion for a harsh tackle, reducing them to nine men. Despite this setback, they managed to hold off further scoring until the 85th minute. Substitute Faisal Al Ghamdi eventually doubled Saudi Arabia's lead with a powerful shot from the edge of the box, which Tokotaev couldn't deflect. Late attempts by Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Ali Al Bulayhi to extend the lead were thwarted by Tokotaev's saves. The victory sets up a crucial top-of-the-table clash for Saudi Arabia against Thailand, while Kyrgyz Republic must win against Oman and rely on other results to advance as one of the best-ranked third-place teams.
