محمد العويس says the support of Saudi Arabia’s supporters and the prayers of his family helped the team overcome the pressure of the Gulf Cup 27 and beat the United Arab Emirates 2-0 in the final.
The Saudi Arabia goalkeeper was speaking to Alkass channels after the final, when he reflected on the factors behind the “Green Falcons’” success.
“The prayers of my parents, my wife and my children, as well as the fans, helped us,” Al Owais said. “The pressure in Gulf tournaments is very high.”
Saudi Arabia secured the trophy in front of their home supporters after an impressive campaign in which they kept clean sheets throughout the competition. Their victory over the United Arab Emirates in the final completed a successful tournament and delivered the title to the hosts.
Al Owais also highlighted the impact of the crowd during the decisive match, saying the supporters gave the players the platform to settle their nerves and take control.
“Our fans got it done in 10 minutes and solved the problem, then our players controlled the next 80 minutes,” he said.
The goalkeeper was referring to the important role played by the Saudi support during the final, with the crowd helping the team deal with the demands of the occasion before Saudi Arabia took command of the game.
The Gulf Cup 27 title is now being viewed by Al Owais as a step towards bigger ambitions for the national team. He said the next targets were success in Asia and qualification for the World Cup.
“I hope we can win the Asian Cup and qualify for the World Cup,” Al Owais said.
His comments underlined the significance of the Gulf triumph for Saudi Arabia, while also setting out the objectives that the team will pursue in its upcoming competitions.
