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KSA begins Cup preparations in style
JEDDAH – Saudi Arabia kicked off its preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers with a 1-0 win against Syria at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on Saturday.
Mouallad scored the first-half goal to seal the win for host team preparing for qualifier against Lebanon on June 2. The defeat was the first for Syrian side under its new coach Mohammed Kwid, who heads the technical team of Al-Karama. Kwid had won his first two matches against Iraq and Oman. Playing without some of its key players, including 2007 AFC Player of the Year Yasser Al-Qahtani and Mohammed Al-Shalhoub, the Saudi team started brilliantly and shot into the lead in the 17th minute through defender Al-Mouallad. The Al-Ittihad defender, who joined the Saudi squad only recently, blasted Ahmed Atif's cross into the left side of the Syrian goalkeeper to score what was the lone goal of the match. Syrians tried to draw level the game but the young Saudi goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah denied them. Saudi Arabia coach Dos Anjos tested some of his new players before announcing the final squad for the Lebanon clash. Saudi Arabia is scheduled to play Kuwait in Riyadh before the team concludes its preparations with a few matches against Saudi clubs in Riyadh. Syria is third in Group E with two points from the opening two games and faces Kuwait on June 2. Saudi Arabia is also third in Group D with three points with a (2-0) win over Singapore and a loss (3-0) against Uzbekistan. Lyon completes first double In Paris, a Sidney Govou goal in extra time gave Olympique Lyon a 1-0 win over Paris St. Germain in Saturday's French Cup final to complete its first domestic double. Lyon had to wait for the 102nd minute to see winger Govou collect a Karim Benzema cross and score with a powerful shot from inside the box to give them more to celebrate a week after it sealed its seventh successive league title. PSG, chasing a double of its own after winning the French League Cup, had the better chances in the game at the Stade de France but failed to lift the trophy for the eighth time. Lyon had been waiting for a Cup triumph since winning the competition for the third time in 1973. __
