Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: December will always have a special place in the annals of Saudi Arabian football, as all three of the nation's AFC Asian Cup triumphs have come in the final month of the year.
The last of Saudi Arabia’s AFC Asian Cup successes came in 1996, when the Green Falcons won the title in Abu Dhabi following a penalty shootout victory over the hosts, the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia were heavy favourites going into the tournament, having reached the final in the last three editions and winning two of them.
The desire to make amends for the defeat in the 1992 final against Japan added to the pressure on the team. With expectations riding high, it was going to be a difficult challenge for Portuguese coach Nelo Vingada who had only taken charge of the Green Falcons two months prior to the tournament opener.
Without having ever coached outside his home country, Vingada had a lot to prove in a very short period of time. However, if anyone had any doubts about the quality of this Saudi team, the performance in their opening match against Thailand was enough to dispel them.
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