Saudi Arabia head coach Herve Renard

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 24: Yemen’s head coach is warning the Khaleeji Zain 26 to write the mighty Saudi Arabia off at their peril but says his team will be out to upset the Arabian football heavyweight tomorrow night at the Jabar Al-Mubarak International Stadium.

Yemen lost 1-0 to Iraq in its opening Group B game, but World Cup finalist Saudi Arabia fell 3-2 to Bahrain in its opener, meaning that tomorrow night’s encounter is a must-win for both sides in their bid to qualify in the top two.

“Beware of the wounded beast,” said Noureddine Ould Ali: “Saudi Arabia is a very respected team but is currently passing through some hard circumstances. Like us, they lost in the first round so they have a very difficult mission, but, like Iraq, they are a strong team with some excellent players, particularly in midfield and attack. I know there are negatives, but I am not going to discuss them.”

The Head Coach said he was proud of his players following the opening match, believing they did enough to gain a point after conceding to Aymen Hussein’s header on a counter-attack.

The defeat leaves Yemen without a single Khaleeji Zain win after 34 matches, but the head coach believes history can be made here in Kuwait.

“I am not going to blame my current players for the history of past results. Of course, we go into every match wanting to win. This generation has the talent to win and we will keep working together to try. I am confident in my players and hope the Yemen supporters will continue to support their sons here, particularly with all the problems at home with the league stopping.”

Tomorrow’s match is the first of two on the night, and kicks off at 5.25 pm, with the second match between Bahrain and Iraq kicking off at 8.30 pm in the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.

Saudi Arabia head coach Herve Renard has told his underperforming superstars that it is “time to wake up” and labeled his side as “average” after losing their opening Khaleeji Zain 26 encounter to Bahrain on Saturday.

Renard has recently returned to the post after a disappointing run of World Cup qualifying results, and the latest 3-2 defeat brought more criticism to the players, with some believing they are more concerned with their club than their country.

The experienced tactician accepted responsibility following Saturday’s defeat and conceded that he has a lot of work to do if Saudi is to qualify for the semi-finals, starting with tomorrow night’s match with Yemen at the Jaber Al-Mubarak International Stadium.

“The first round is three games, and the most important is to be in the first or second position at the end of them,” said Renard, who addressed the club v country claim. “In the national team, you are not playing with eight foreign players like at the club. You are playing for Saudi Arabia, the country, and for a few months, we are not ourselves. It is time to wake up. Time to look in the mirror.

“Maybe we are thinking we are very beautiful and very fantastic players but we are not currently. We are only an average team. So, all of us, have to look at the situation and do what we have to do. Starting with defending very well is most important.”

The Saudi Arabia fans are again expected to travel in large numbers to Kuwait for the second match, despite the criticism at home about recent performances, and Renard had a strong message for them.

“We must never give up,” he said. “We are still two games to reach the semi-final. This is our goal and we’ll think about the World Cup qualifiers later. At the moment we still have two chances and I can understand the disappointment from fans. It is normal when you lose. But they need to know I am doing my best to put this team in the right way. Not easy but this is football.

“We are not at the level that people are expecting and I have confidence in the players to change things.

“In 2019, we lost the first game and reached the final so football is like this. Not one team here is above everybody. We still have the chance to win this. Football can change quickly.”

Tomorrow’s match is the first of two on the night, and kicks off at 5.25 pm, with the second match between Bahrain and Iraq kicking off at 8.30 pm in the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.

Fans are in for a real treat tomorrow night when Group B leaders Bahrain take on reigning champions Iraq at the Khaleeji Zain 26, according to Bahrain’s charismatic head coach, Dragan Talajic.

Bahrain shared the top spot with Iraq after both won their opening ties on Saturday, but their dramatic 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia caught the eye of fans with the coach promising more thrills and spills at the Jaber Al-Ahmed International Stadium.

“We have monitored the Iraq team,” said Talajic at the pre-match press conference held at the Crowne Plaza. “I have full respect for them and they are very well organized. A very good team that I have watched and analyzed many times. I wish them well for the World Cup, but not for here!

“We are preparing in the best way. It will be very difficult but, honestly, but I can trust my boys. God willing, we will recover quickly because the game against Saudi Arabia was very tough mentally and physically. But we will play nice football, as will Iraq, so it will be good for the fans to watch.”

Talajic said that the last 20 minutes against Saudi Arabia showed the mental toughness of his team and said it was an aspect they had worked hard on in preparation for Iraq.

“We are ready for everything,” he said. “I believe in my boys. We are mentally very strong. We know Iraq is a very good team and I respect the team, the people, and the country. They will have big support, but we are Bahraini with a big heart. You will see it tomorrow.”

Iraq head coach Jesus Casas has called for unity ahead of his side’s crucial second match against Bahrain at the Khaleeji Zain 26 on Tuesday night.

Iraq shares the top spot with Bahrain after both sides won their opening games on

Saturday night, Iraq’s narrow 1-0 win over Yemen drew criticism from Iraq’s fans and media, who singled out full-back Mustafa Sadoon in particular.

“It is easy to be a man sitting in the TV and criticizing,” said Casas at the pre-event press conference at the Crowne Plaza. “Mustafa makes one mistake and he gets so much criticism through social media which is not fair. It will just make the player nervous going into the pitch next. All players make a mistake, even at Real Madrid and Argentina. It’s a shame in my opinion.

“Mustafa will be playing tomorrow night along with 10 other players.”

Casas called for the nation to get behind the national team as they bid to retain the cup that they won at home two years ago, and said he expects criticism no matter what his tactics whenever his team loses or underperforms.

“When we won seven matches consecutively by changing the line-ups, no one complained,” he said. “If we lose tomorrow with different players they will complain. If we use the same line-up and lose they will again criticize, so it is the same.

“I am proud to coach Iraq. I feel like the Iraqi people. I will be the happiest man in the world if we win this tournament and if we go to the World Cup. We are so far from our families at this time of year (Christmas), because we are fighting for Iraq.”

Casas said their focus has been on player recovery and video analysis of Bahrain in the build-up to tomorrow’s encounter, with a win for either team guaranteeing a place in the semi-finals with one match to play.

“We have a very similar style and players to Bahrain. I hope to win. The match will be high quality and good for the spectator to see.”

The match kicks off at 8.30 pm at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, with the other Group A match between Yemen and Saudi Arabia kicking off at 5.25 pm at the Jaber Al-Mubarak International Stadium.