Saudi winger Marwan Al-Sahafi has arrived in Kuwait from his Belgian club Beerschot to bolster the Green Falcons ahead of their Khaleeji Zain 26 semi-final clash with Oman on Tuesday night. The highly anticipated match kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at the Jaber Al-Mubarak International Stadium. Head coach Herve Renard has not confirmed whether the 20-year-old will start, saying he is still considering his best lineup. "I want to find the best 11 to start, but also to finish, because we can make five substitutions," Renard told reporters at the pre-match press conference. After losing their opening match to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia edged past Yemen and secured a convincing 3-1 win over Iraq to book their spot in the semi-finals. The team remains in contention for their fourth Gulf Cup title. Captain Salem Al-Dawsari has been pivotal to the team's resurgence. Despite breaking his nose, Al-Dawsari opted to play earlier in the tournament, inspiring his teammates with his determination. "Salem wasn't supposed to play until the semi-final, but he chose to play earlier. This was a fantastic message to the youth players," Renard said. "When a player like him shows such determination, the whole squad follows. We know we have a great captain." While Saudi Arabia have been prolific in attack, scoring a tournament-high eight goals, they have also conceded the most, with six goals allowed. Renard emphasized the need for continued improvement. "We've conceded six but scored eight, which is more important. Opponents sometimes force you into difficult situations, but we need to keep improving to achieve our goal of winning this tournament," he said. Later on Tuesday evening, the second semi-final will see hosts Kuwait face Group B winners Bahrain at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. — SG
