Preview

This was the penultimate fixture of the qualification group, with only the winners progressing through to the final stage of the AFC qualification. Saudi Arabia, who had done so well through the 80s, winning the Asian Cup both in 1984 and in 1988, had likely come into this group as favourites. It must be said, however, that Syria had qualified for three successive Asian Cup competitions, from 1980 through to ’88, and they had run Iraq very close in qualification for the 1986 World Cup, only bowing out at the final hurdle in Baghdad in the play-off matches. For the Syrians, this must have been regarded as a must-win match, as Saudi Arabia still had a home fixture against group minnows North Yemen to come. A win by the tightest of margins would see Syria with a plus three goal difference, with Saudi Arabia then at least needing a two goal cushion in their final qualifier to finish atop the group. It should also be noted how these two’s first clash in Jeddah 15 days earlier had ended in a nine goal thriller, when the Saudi team had triumphed 5-4, after they had led for most of the game. The table: 

Pos
1	Syria	3	2	0	1	7	5	4
2	Saudi Arabia	2	2	0	0	6	4	4
3	North Yemen	3	0	0	3	0	4	0

It should be noted that Syria and Saudi Arabia had come head to head in both teams’ opening fixture in the 1988 edition of the Asian Cup, and their encounter had taken place as recently as December 2, less than four months earlier. The Saudis had won 2-0 that afternoon in Doha on their way to winning the entire competition 16 days later, with goals from midfielder Saleh Al-Saleh Al-Mutlaq and forward Mohamed Al-Shahrani.

The player names in Soviet coach Anatoliy Azarenkov’s Syrian select might not be household ones across the globe, but locally and regionally, they sure had players who were familiar, and probably none more so than midfielder and team captain Abdul Kader Kardaghli, a 28 year old hailing from Latakia, where he featured for Tishreen Sports Club, and he was nicknamed ‘Malik’ (‘the king’). 

Syria had made a couple of changes since their 2-0 home win against North Yemen only five days prior, with Hizar Mahrous and Walid Abu Al-Sel, both goalscorers that day, giving way for Hisham Khalaf and Radwan Ajam, who both came in for their first starts of the qualification campaign. 

Saudi Arabia head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira from Brazil had put faith in the same starting eleven which he’d also put out for their previous two matches in the qualification. Their arguably biggest name was striker Majed Abdullah Al-Mohammed, sometimes refered to as ‘Pelé of the desert’, but they were an altogether fine side, and unequivocally seen as the best Saudi edition ever. Those two Asian Cup wins underlined these claims. 

It would be interesting to see whether the visitors would keep defensive stability their priority, or whether they would go on the attack and try to rattle their hosts. A draw would likely see the Saudis progress through to the final stage, with that home tie against win- and goalless North Yemen yet to come. 

Referee for the occasion was Japanese Shizuo Takada, 41 years of age. He’d been in charge of group stage matches at both the 1986 World Cup (Algeria vs Spain) and the 1988 Olympic Games football tournament (Italy vs Guatemala), so he was no foreigner to the big stage.

Syria (4-4-2)

Player	Notes	Age	Club
22 Malek Shakuhi		29
3 Radwan Al-Sheikh Hassan
5 Yousef Layous
6 Hisham Khalaf	86′
8 Abdel Kader Kardaghli (c)		28
10 Mohammad Nasser Afash	sub 73′	22
13 Mohammad Jaqalan		28
15 George Khouri		27
17 Samer Darwish	79′
18 Walid Al-Nasser	56′
20 Radwan Ajam

Substitutes
4 Ali Sheikh Dib
16 Munaf Ramadan	on 73′

Manager: Anatoliy Azarenkov

Saudi Arabia (4-3-3)

Player	Notes	Age	Club
1 Abdullah Jamal Al-Deahyea		27
2 Abdullah Saleh Al-Dosari		19
4 Ahmed Jamil Madani		19
5 Saleh Mohammed Al-Nuaimah (c)	sub h-t	28
6 Saleh Al-Saleh		23
8 Fahad Al-Bishi		23
9 Majed Ahmed Abdullah Al-Mohammed		30
10 Fahad Al-Musaibeah		27
11 Mohaisen Mubarak Al-Jam’an Al-Dosari	sub 72′	22
13 Mohamed Abd Al-Jawad	77′	26
15 Yousuf Al-Thunayan	79′	25

Substitutes
3 Hussein Al-Bishi	on h-t	27
14 Khalid Massad Al-Muwalid	on 72′	18

Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira

Tactical line-up

Match report

First half:

With the game being such a big occasion, and the national team being a popular brand in Syria since their qualifying for the 1984 Asian Cup (and then again for the next edition four years later), the stadium in the northern city of Latakia, not far from the border with Turkey, is packed to the rafters for the occasion, and with billboards of president Hafez al-Assad in attendance. The visitors had of course triumphed in both of those versions of the Asian Cup, and were a major obstacle for the Syrians as they were desperately attempting to progress through to the final stage of the AFC qualification. Kick-off was dealt with by Mohammad Nasser Afash and Radwan Ajam for the hosts. 

It is a rapid start, where Syria immediately go long, while the visitors subsequently move up the field through quick transitions. Saudi Arabia arrive at a massive opportunity only a minute and ten seconds into the game, as midfielder Al-Musaibeah darts across the halfway line before picking out left-sided forward Al-Jam’an Al-Dosari, whose burst into the area sees him unleash a strike with his left foot which comes back off the crossbar, only for the ball to remain in play. Before five minutes have passed, the Japanese referee has denied Saudi Arabia a penalty when Yousuf Al-Thunayan had tried to make it to the byline, only to seemingly be fouled by Yousef Layous. Syria were having their work cut out in these early exchanges. 

Both teams are busy and full of enthusiasm in the early stages of the game, the home side certainly have no interest in handing any advantage on a plate to the visitors. They play with their tails up, and continue their direct approach where they often look for the tall, burly Al-Nasser up front. He’s having to contend with the Saudi centre-backs, but knows how to put himself about, and he’s got Afash running in the channels or in his vicinity when those balls are hit forward from the back. It is the player in the number 10 jersey’s job to try and reach the second balls, and try to bring others into play, such as the frequently more advanced of the two wide players, the left-sided Ajam, or inspirational captain Kardaghli, who thrives in his advanced, central midfield role. 

There are contrasting styles adopted by the two teams, with the reigning continental champions clearly keen on making use of their midfielders in any build-up. They have players capable of transporting at pace, and it is a challenge for the hosts when the Saudis come steaming forward in those central areas. Both Al-Bishi and Al-Musaibeah, but certainly also the two wide forwards, Al-Thunayan and Al-Jam’an Al-Dosari, have it in them to gain yards at pace, while they have a notoriously capable man in the centre up top, ready to pounce on any pass coming his way. Syria just can’t ignore Majed Abdullah Al-Mohammed, even if the threat in these early phases seems to come from so many directions. The home side have so far only been able to muster a couple of skied attempts from distance, the latest fashioned by rugged centre-half Hassan from way out. 

We have established how Syria have left out their two goalscorers from their 2-0 win against North Yemen only a few days prior. However, we have so far been unable to determine the reason for the absence of El-Sel and Mahrous, but it is necessary to suggest that perhaps are they usually less direct in their tactical approach, as the way they have set out to play in this encounter seems to divert from a more customary type of football often seen in this region? Having lost at successive Asian Cups against the Saudis, Syria through their Soviet head coach might have felt it was time to try something new and different this time, to give themselves a chance of still reaching the World Cup. The opening 15 minutes suggest that they may be on to something, even if they’ve yet to trouble Al-Deahyea in the Saudi goal. 

With the continued progress of the first half, after both Al-Nuaimah and Al-Nasser had been seen to for a lengthy period of time after a collision inside the Saudi penalty area, the game seems to have lost both rhythm and momentum. The visitors can live well with a lower level of intensity, as long as it is a dual affair; neither team can in this period reproduce the high pace which had been seen initially. Syria do keep most of the possession, while Saudi Arabia seem content to sit back and let the hosts do the probing.

They are well organized defensively, the visitors, where their captain, even though he’d taken a big hit by the burly Syrian striker, maintains composure, and furthermore he’s got a very agile central defensive colleague in the young Madani, who is displaying maturity well beyond his 19 years of age. Even Al-Saleh at the base of their midfield is a vital cog in their tactical set-up, as he provides that necessary shield in front of his defence with his sound positioning and terrier-like snapping at the heels of opponents. Sitting as deep as he does, he comes into contact with the Syrian captain from time to time. 

The home side, with their back four stood higher than in the early phase of the game, even the previously deep libero seen in or around the centre-circle when his team mates are in possession inside the Saudi half of the pitch, are still direct, rarely making use of their central midfield when they mount from the back. Either Layous or Hassan pin the ball quickly in the direction of either Al-Nasser through the centre or towards Afash in the channels. If these tactics have been especially worked on for this particular encounter, then it would appear as if Azarenkov has indeed spotted a weakness in the Saudi rear lines when it comes to duelling. At the midway stage of the first half, it still hasn’t yielded an effort on goal, though. 

Those in attendance who are expecting the game to pick up again in quality are left disappointed towards the half hour mark. While it doesn’t go completely scrappy, because players do strive to maintain a certain level, there is still a shortage in fluidity. A start-stop affair suits the visitors, though, and Saudi Arabia happily see a 30 yard free-kick from centre-back Hassan evade the left hand post by a couple of yards, although Al-Deahyea had it covered anyway. 

Saudi Arabia struggle to string together purposeful moves, and are rarely in possession beyond the halfway line. Their midfield doesn’t manage to impose any authority on the game at this stage, and a player like Al-Thunayan, who had looked inspired early on, had drifted out of the game completely. Al-Jam’an Al-Dosari along the left hand flank did seem to threaten for a moment with 29 minutes gone, but the ball ran away from him and out of play for a goalkick as he otherwise could’ve arrived at a second opportunity of the game after that early shot against the bar. 

Syria are in a diamond-shaped 4-4-2 formation, where goalkeeper Malek Shakuhi seems alert enough, although it is an exaggeration to say that he’s been busy. Right-back George Khouri is one of several players who are powerfully built, and he is a difficult opponent to make a mark on for the Saudi left flank. Khouri is also instrumental when it comes to hitting free-kicks from the right hand side into the area. Along the left, Samer Darwish is less involved than his full-back counterpart, but he does seem to have tamed the unpredictable Al-Thunayan. And at the heart of their defence, Layous sweeps behind Hassan in case anything should seep through. However, the latter has so far got the better of Al-Mohammed, who hasn’t lived up to his reputation. 

At the base of the Syrian midfield sits Hisham Khalaf, who goes about his job quietly. The way Saudi Arabia play, he doesn’t have one direct opponent with whom he constantly tussles, but he is a useful deputy for the more advanced of their two central midfielders, namely influental captain Abdel Kader Kardaghli, who had started in very busy fashion, but even he had gone somewhat off the boil with the progress of the first half. Still, he has that strong drive on the ball in the forward direction, and this dimension is needed for their direct approach not to go stale. Their two wide midfielders, Mohammad Jaqalan to the right and Radwan Ajam along the left, bring different qualities to the set-up, with the former certainly more hard-working and less visible in forward operations, while Ajam invariably can be seen so high up the pitch that he resembles a wide forward. 

As mentioned, Walid Al-Nasser is the battering ram in the centre-forward role, and he’s had a number of tussles with the Saudi captain. He’s a difficult opponent in combat, and puts himself about very well. However, he’s rarely had his face towards goal during the first 30 minutes, and there’s been little goalthreat from the hosts, with his forward companion Mohammad Nasser Afash mainly operating off his colleague. 

It is easy to see why this Syrian select is a difficult proposition. Alas, we’ve been unable to see them in other matches during the current World Cup qualification, and there’s also no extended footage from their 1988 Asian Cup explorations. Hence, we do not know whether they usually are this direct in their methods, or whether they are so by particular design for this encounter. 

With Saudi Arabia there is continuity, and certainly among the playing personnel. Their starting line-up contains no less than six players who begun their 1984 Asian Cup final win against China, while ten of those who started in the final win four years later are in action from the word ‘go’ here in Latakia. 

4-3-3 has been at the core of their tactical values right since that 1984 triumph, when Khalil Al-Zayani was manager. Carlos Alberto Parreira, manager then in 1988 as he is now, has continued that tradition, and Abdullah Jamal Al-Deahyea has been a stalwart throughout these years between the sticks. He’s a solid enough custodian, but might have some weak points when it comes to his aerial play.

We’ve already touched on their highly experienced captain at the heart of the defence, with Saleh Al-Nuaimah a defender with great leadership abilities. He’s got the very agile and confident Ahmed Jamil Madani alongside of him. They know each other well, despite Madani’s tender years, and form a steady duo. Coming up against Syria’s Al-Nasser is a different kind of challenge, probably, to what they’re used to, where brute physique is necessary to deal with their adversary. The two full-backs are the young Abdullah Saleh Al-Dosari to the right and Mohamed Abd Al-Jawad down that left flank. The former is dependable defensively, while Al-Jawad has slightly more to offer going forward. 

Saleh Al-Saleh Al-Mutlaq keeps them going in the centre of the park, where he’s a big influence, and indeed also a trustworthy character right in front of that defensive line. He’s got good passing skills, and is fine at engaging his two more advanced midfield colleagues Fahad Al-Bishi to his right and Fahad Al-Musaibeah to his left. In particular the former of the pair has so far been underwhelming. 

And with their potentially splendid front three yet not gelling, Saudi Arabia have so far not lived up to anywhere near maximum of their capacity. However, as we know very well by this stage, they will be ever so pleased with a draw. Despite Syria being lively at times, Al-Deahyea has yet to be severely tested. He is hardly likely to concede from 30 yards. 

In the latter stages of the first half, it is the visitors who seem to swing the advantage back in their favour, as they have an improved spell where they boss the possession and are on the verge of creating opportunities. The diminutive Al-Musaibeah is finally allowed time and scope on the ball, and when he begins to dictate play, it spells danger for the opposition. He has that classic low centre of gravity, makes use of his left foot to try and thread a pass through, and he is also capable of accelerating with the ball at his feet. On 38 minutes, he comes close to finding Al-Mohammed in the area, but the strong Syrian rearguard are able to clear before the Saudi ‘Pelé’ can get to it. 

The first half is ultimately a goalless affair, and truth be told, despite some early promise, there had been very little to do for either goalkeeper. The Japanese referee, who had had a relatively straightforward match to officiate hitherto, let the half run for an additional two minutes and ten seconds due to the stop in play when Al-Nasser and Al-Nuaimah had clashed. 

Half-time score: Syria 0, Saudi Arabia 0. 

Second half: 

The available footage does not contain the very kick-off, but we enter the final 45 only a few seconds thereafter, and it is worth noting the change that has been made in the visitors’ ranks: Captain Al-Nuaimah, no less, has departed during the half-time interval, and on in his place has come Hussein Al-Bishi, wearing the #3 shirt. While losing your skipper is never ideal, and it could well be that he felt the effects from the collision with Al-Nasser to such an extent that he could not carry on, the substitute is also someone with experience. He had been Al-Nuaimah’s central defensive partner at the 1984 Asian Cup. There appears to be no family ties connecting the now pair of Al-Bishis featuring for the Saudis. Striker Al-Mohammed assumes the captain’s role for the second half. 

While Saudi Arabia had looked the more imposing towards the final stages of the first half, it is Syria who are the quickest out of the starting blocks in the second half. They force a couple of early set-pieces, but see Saudi ‘keeper Al-Deahyea deal with any challenge, even if he does take an early knock when coming for the ball with the powerful Al-Nasser nearby. He’s alright to resume play. In front of him it is now substitute Hussein Al-Bishi in the left-sided centre-back role, with Madani switching to the right, where Al-Nuaimah had been in the first half. 

It is the Saudis who arrive at a first opportunity after the break, and a ball headed out by centre-back Hassan is recouped by Al-Saleh, and his first time touch almost falls kindly for Al-Mohammed, who is played on by left-back Darwish, but thankfully for the latter, goalkeeper Shakuhi is alert and thwarts the danger before the Saudi stand-in captain can poke it past him on 50 minutes. It had come towards Al-Mohammed from a difficult angle. Should the away side take the lead, Syria’s World Cup campaign is all but over.

The home side offer little in the early stages of the second half, but when they seize on a poor pass from Fahad Al-Bishi halfway inside their own half, Syria break with intent, and perhaps surprisingly is it right-back Khouri who gallops forward and takes aim 30 yards out. His effort is on target, but it causes Al-Deahyea few worries, even though he must pick it out close to the angle of the post and the bar. It was interesting to see that the hosts have in their locker the ability to capitalize on an error and move forward swiftly. A minute after the Syrian defender’s effort, on 54 minutes, Saudi Arabia see Shakuhi tip the ball over his own bar following Al-Jawad’s inswung free-kick from the left channel, diverted goalwards by the home side’s captain Kardaghli. 

It has been a manageable task for the referee so far, despite everything which is at stake. Both teams’ players have performed with fair intentions, but perhaps is the most rugged man among the 22 Syrian striker Al-Nasser, who on 56 minutes is awarded the first yellow card of the fixture following his hacking down of Saudi right-back Al-Dosari from behind, completely unnecessarily. It had come after a failed pass in the forward direction as the hosts had attempted to play through midfield, something which certainly hadn’t happened often up to this point. As Al-Dosari had wanted to take the ball forward, Al-Nasser had slid in from behind. The booking was a good decision by the main official. 

Arriving on the hour mark, the Syrian team appears to have upped the ante. They know that only a victory is good enough, and they have a moment of pressure after winning a left wing corner off Al-Saleh. While the short corner routine is delivered too long towards the far post, the ball’s recycled through Jaqalan, and his cross seems a perfect fit for Al-Nasser. Under strict surveillance from the Saudi stoppers, though, the striker can’t get any conviction behind his header, but having maintained possession, they eventually see another pop at goal from 30 yards, this time produced by the other full-back Darwish. Similarly to Khouri’s attempt earlier, Al-Deahyea had needed to collect it high towards the angle of his goal, although once again without difficulty. 

As the second half evolves, Saudi Arabia are being played deeper. Syria remain direct, and hit the ball long from the halfway line whenever there’s a chance. It could well be that the visitors are feeling the absence of their leader at the back, although they have a capable centre-back pair still, as Hussein Al-Bishi has filled in well alongside Madani. With the hosts pushing men forward, it does mean that there will be spaces to exploit for Saudi Arabia should they wish to, although as the half reaches its midway stage, they’ve still not managed to seize on these opportunities. One counter saw Al-Jam’an Al-Dosari overhit his cross towards Al-Thunayan. 

Someone who had rarely been in the frame until this point was the hosts’ wide right midfielder Jaqalan. He appears to be a bit of a workhorse, but being pushed into a more advanced position, he does run himself into some interesting areas, even if he isn’t regularly set up in crossing positions yet. Increasingly less influental is second striker Afash, who appears of little use now the opposition sit deeper; there’s less space for him to thrive in.

As the game has settled into a pattern where Syria are maintaining possession inside the Saudi Arabian half of the pitch, they still appear to be going nowhere. There is urgency; anything else would be odd. But they can’t really show enough quality on the ball to unsettle the visitors’ rear lines. The Saudis are soundly organized, and monitoring the opposition isn’t all that difficult an exercise. There ought to be more movement off the ball from the Syrians, but their forward balls typically end up as food for the sturdy defence, where Madani really is showing his mettle in the absence of his customary captain. 

Saudi Arabia make their second substitution when Parreira opts to withdraw ineffective left-sided forward Al-Jam’an Al-Dosari for Khalid Massad Al-Muwalid. The latter is listed as an 18 year old in various sources, but there really are altogether suspiciously many players said to be in their teens in the AFC section of the qualification, which is unusual for national team level; it is difficult to always assume this information to be reliable. Al-Muwalid does slot into his predecessor’s position, but perhaps does he track back to a greater extent, and thus contribute to a greater level of defensive security. Saudi Arabia are just over a quarter of an hour away from a terrific result from their point of view. 

Only a minute later, the home side decide to make their first change of the game, as forward Afash, whom we’d mentioned as growingly ineffective, is brought off for Munaf Ramadan. Perhaps is this substitution somewhat peculiar, as Ramadan seems to take up a role akin to the one which Afash had held in working the channels. Options from the bench for roles high up the pitch might not be in great commodity. Could Ramadan still bring qualities into the Syrian attack which Afash had been short of?  

There’s a second booking of the game on 77 minutes, as Saudi left-back Al-Jawad attempts to get to a one-two from Al-Musaibeah, but Syria libero Layous arrives there just before him, with the full-back getting his studs in. Layous needs medical attention before he can carry on. Two minutes later there’s a seemingly inexplicable punch from Al-Thunayan, perhaps frustrated at having lost the ball in the right hand channel, and in clear view of referee Takada he smashes Darwish in the side of the Syrian full-back’s head. It hardly gets any more foolish than that. In view of the replay, he might have reacted either to something Darwish had said or to the latter trying to trip him, but to actually land a punch at an opponent is something no referee lets you get away with. It will lead to a three match long suspension for Saudi’s gifted forward. As Darwish is also booked following the incident, the victim might not have been so innocent after all. 

Alas, there is precious little football played in the wake of the sending off, as a number of players appear trigged by the escalated level of infringements. Syria are unable to make the man’s advantage count, and there are frequent stops due to the number of fouls taking place. It must be said that the Saudi players take the opportunity to stay down if they’ve been in a challenge, as this occurs both to goalkeeper Al-Deahyea after he’s caught a cross in front of Ajam, all fair and square, and Fahad Al-Bishi, who’s rightly been tripped by Khalaf, who became yet another player to have his name taken by the referee. However, it was hardly a foul which warranted medical treatment. This lack of rhythm was of course upsetting for the hosts’ chances to try and carve out that precious goal which they so desperately needed. 

On 88 minutes comes the biggest goalscoring opportunity of the game, somewhat fortuitously, as the previously stricken Darwish races to get to a ball down the flank before it exits via the byline. He succeeds, and his first time cross finds Al-Nasser on the near post, although the striker is not in a position to head the ball goalwards. His flicked header comes off centre-back Madani right in front of goal, and only good and fortunate positioning by the goalkeeper sees him stop the ball before it ends up in the back of the net as an own goal. 

Even as the clock arrives on full time, the hosts still try their best to get that goal, and it is tireless captain Kardaghli who is behind their next couple of efforts, as he pulls himself inside from a wide left position only to see his low effort from 22-23 yards safely end up in Al-Deahyea’s grasp, and then a minute and a half into injury time he seizes on Al-Nasser’s header down from yet another long ball played up from the halfway line, before arriving too wide in the area to be able to fire on target. This shot ends up in the side netting. Then Khouri firest over from a similar range, although he’d found it difficult to connect well with the bouncing ball. 

It is frantic stuff as the referee allows no less than six minutes of additional time. Syria sense blood, and Saudi Arabia need to defend heroically, with players getting their bodies in the way. However, it all looks to be in vain for the visitors on 90+6 minutes when Kardaghli, who else, pops up at the back stick from Khouri’s cross to direct a looping header towards the far post. Al-Deahyea, though, leaps like the proverbial tiger and manages to claw the ball out of thin air, and even hold on to it as to not concede a rebound. Terrific last gasp stop! 

Saudi Arabia can draw a collective sigh of relief as Mr Takada finally blows his whistle for full time. They’ve done it; they’ve got their point. Now all they need is a draw against North Yemen in six days’ time to progress to the final stage of the qualification. Syria will hope for a miracle in that game, but it is unlikely that they believe it can happen. 

Final score: Syria 0, Saudi Arabia 0.