Saudi Arabia head coach Georgios Donis says player fatigue is a major concern ahead of Tuesday’s Gulf Cup 27 final against the United Arab Emirates, but insists his team is capable of winning the tournament.
Saudi Arabia reached the final after beating Qatar on penalties in Saturday’s semi-final at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah. The match finished goalless after 90 minutes and extra time.
“I congratulate the players on their high-level performance and their determination,” Donis said at his post-match news conference, in comments reported by Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah. “They gave everything they had in a difficult match against an experienced opponent who defended very well.”
The Greek coach said the short format of the competition had increased the physical demands on his squad.
“This is a short tournament and fatigue has an impact,” he said. “We deserved to win after an excellent performance. We had problems with player fatigue during the match, but I am pleased with what happened. The players will produce a good final, and that is what we expect from them.”
Saudi Arabia will face the United Arab Emirates at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah on Tuesday in the final of the Gulf competition.
Donis said his immediate priority was to ensure his players recovered properly before preparing for the decisive match.
“We must take each game at a time, try to recover well and produce the best strategies in the matches,” he said.
He explained that Saudi Arabia had approached the semi-final with a specific tactical plan, but made adjustments after the interval.
“We had a special strategy for today’s match, and we had to play in a different way at the beginning,” Donis said. “We made some changes in the second half.”
The coach acknowledged that his side had struggled to create chances against Qatar’s defensive approach.
“We had to play differently and try to create goals,” he said. “I think we did not make the right decisions during the match. Playing defensively made the situation more difficult for us.”
Donis also praised the support from the Saudi supporters and called for their backing in the final.
“We must focus on the final step and concentrate on ourselves,” he said. “We need the support of the fans. After the match, I asked the players to thank and congratulate the supporters because they had an impact on us during the game. I also told them that we are capable of winning.”
He declined to criticise the referee’s decisions.
“I do not want to talk about the referee’s decisions,” Donis said. “The referee did not see what I saw, but I do not want to discuss this matter. We respect his decisions and everything he does.”
Saudi Arabia’s defensive record has been another notable feature of its progress, with the team completing five matches without conceding a goal.
“Playing five matches without conceding is an excellent achievement,” Donis added. “It is down to the players’ performance, skill and ability. However, we made a mistake by allowing the opposition to create chances. Step by step, we will build our own identity.”
