New Double, New Dawn: Renard Reveals Saudi's Arab Cup Start vs Oman

Saudi's Arab Cup opener setup

French coach Hervé Renard has settled on the formation and lineup for the Green's first match in the Arab Cup against Oman, scheduled for Tuesday in Qatar. The tournament runs from December 1 to 18, with Saudi in Group B alongside Oman, Comoros and Morocco. A recent training session suggested Renard will deploy a new central defensive pairing of Hassan Tembakti and Walid Al-Ahmad, a pairing not yet tested together in central defense.

Ahead of the game, Saudi played friendlies against Ivory Coast and Algeria, with a defensive duo of Abdulilah Al-Omari and Walid Al-Ahmad in the initial match, followed by Jihad Dhakri and Mohammed Bakr in later selections.

Renard is also counting on a three man attack with Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Firas Al-Breikan and Salem Al-Dosari as the main options.

Projected starting XI

The expected starting lineup for the Saudi team against Oman is as follows: GK Nawaf Al-Aqidi. Defense: Nawaf Boshl, Hassan Tembakti, Walid Al-Ahmad, Ali Majrashi. Midfield: Nasser Al-Dosari, Abdullah Al-Khibrri, Mohammed Kano. Attack: Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Firas Al-Breikan, Salem Al-Dosari.

Kickoff details and later selections are still under discussion, but Renard’s blueprint signals a compact spine and an emphasis on counter attack.

Punchline 1: Renard’s defense is so precise that even a sniper would file for a transfer just to have a crack at the back of the net. Punchline 2: In football, as in life, if you aim for the goal, bring humor—the scoreboard might disagree, but the fans will not.