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JEDDAH: �������� came from behind to defeat Indonesia 3-2 on Wednesday and take a giant step toward the 2026 World Cup finals.
Two goals from Firas Al-Buraikan and a fine strike from his Al-Ahli team-mate, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, at their home ground in Jeddah means a victory over Iraq on Tuesday will ensure Herve Renard’s men make their seventh appearance at the World Cup finals, and even a point might be enough to book their tickets to North America.

This opening game of the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers began, and would end, as a tense affair. The crowd at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, which is hosting all three Group B games, was silenced, aside from a small pocket of away fans, when Indonesia took the lead in the 11th minute.
After a cross into a crowded area was adjudged to have been handled by Hassan Tambakti, Kevin Diks stepped up to take the spot kick and found the bottom corner of the net despite the best efforts of Nawaf Al-Aqidi.
Given that the Saudis scored only seven goals across all 10 games in the third round of qualifiers, there was plenty of apprehension among the home crowd, but just six minutes later the hosts equalized and did so in style.
Musab Al-Juwayr flicked a pass to Al-Shamat, who turned inside a defender just outside the area and then fired a left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the goal past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Maarten Paes.
Ten minutes before the break, �������� were in front. A shirt pull in the area resulted in a penalty and Al-Buraikan stepped up to fire his team into the lead, beating Paes who saved a spot kick from Salem Al-Dawsari in the previous round.
The hosts continued to push forward in search of an all-important third goal, given that goal difference could well play a part in the final reckoning of the three-team group. It came just after the hour mark; Al-Juwayr’s shot from outside the area was palmed away by Paes but Al-Buraikan was there to hit home the rebound.
As the clock ticked down there was still time for some late drama in the form of an 89th-minute penalty call that went the way of the visitors, and Diks once again made no mistake from the spot.
Nine minutes of added time made for a tense finale for the Saudis, especially when substitute Mohammed Kanno was sent off for a second yellow, but they managed to hang on.
The Group B action continues on Saturday when Iraq will take on Indonesia, before facing �������� on Tuesday in the final game of the round.
The group winners qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while the second-place team will face off against the runners-up in Group A over two legs, with the winner advancing to an inter-confederation play-off. Group A features Qatar and Oman, who played out a goalless draw on Wednesday, plus the UAE.

LONDON: Ruben Amorim has been given three years to prove himself at Manchester United after co-owner Jim Ratcliffe insisted he will not make a knee-jerk decision about the under-fire manager’s future.
Amorim has endured constant speculation that he faces the sack throughout this season as United lurched from one crisis to another.
The former Sporting Lisbon boss, who was hired by Ratcliffe in November 2024, admitted earlier this term that he had considered quitting during United’s darkest moments.
Amorim’s side finished 15th in the Premier League last season — their lowest final top-flight position since 1973-74 — and squandered a chance to qualify for the Champions League when they lost the Europa League final to fellow strugglers Tottenham.
Tenth-placed United have fared little better this season, losing three of their first seven league games and crashing to a shock League Cup defeat at fourth-tier Grimsby.
Amorim has yet to record successive Premier League wins since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag, with a trip to champions Liverpool next up for United after the international break.
Despite the talk that Amorim, whose side beat promoted Sunderland in their last game, remains in danger of being axed Ratcliffe said the 40-year-old would be given time to turn things around.
“He has not had the best of seasons. Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be,” Ratcliffe told The Business podcast, produced by The Times and The Sunday Times.
“The press, sometimes I don’t understand. They want overnight success. They think it’s a light switch. You know, you flick a switch and it’s all going to be roses tomorrow.
“You can’t run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”

- ‘No free lunches’ -

Ratcliffe has owned just under 30 percent of United since February 2024, when he took control of football operations at the 20-time English champions.
That left the Glazer family, who have endured numerous fan protests since taking over in 2005, still in overall charge at Old Trafford.
United haven’t won the English title since 2013, while their last European trophy was the 2017 Europa League.
Asked what would happen if the Glazers told him to sack Amorim, Ratcliffe said: “It’s not going to happen.”
The INEOS chief said the Glazers were happy for him to take charge, adding: “That probably sums it up. We’re local and they’re the other side of the pond.
“That’s a long way away to try and manage a football club as big, as complex as Manchester United. We’re here with feet on the ground.
“They get a bad rap but they are really nice people and they are really passionate about the club.”
Ratcliffe has also come in from criticism after controversial cuts designed to drive down costs at United saw around 450 jobs axed and the removal of perks like subsidised staff lunches.
“The costs were just too high. There are some fantastic people at Manchester United, but there was also a level of mediocrity and it had become bloated,” he said.
“I got a lot of flak for the free lunches, but no-one’s ever given me a free lunch.
“The biggest correlation, like it or not, between results and any external factor is profitability. The more cash you have got, the better squad you can build.
“So a lot of what we have done in the first year is spend an awful lot of time putting the club on a sustainable, healthy footing.”