Saudi Arabia faced South Korea today, Friday, at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha, in their first friendly match during the current international break in preparation for the upcoming fixtures.
Al-Ittihad winger Marwan Al-Sahafi opened the scoring for Saudi Arabia in the first minute of first-half stoppage time.
What a finish it was. Al-Sahafi collected a well-weighted through ball from Al-Nassr striker Abdullah Al-Hamdan, rounded the South Korea goalkeeper and slotted into an empty net.
It was the first goal of Al-Sahafi's international career, and it came on his 17th appearance for Saudi Arabia.
Italian coach Roberto Mancini first called Al-Sahafi up in June 2024, when the winger was just 20 and one of Al-Ittihad's most promising young talents.
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Mancini handed him his chance in the 3-0 win over Pakistan in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Al-Sahafi then went on loan to Belgium's Beerschot before returning to the "Tigers" last summer.
A natural right winger, Al-Sahafi can also operate on the left flank, and it was from that side that he set off before scoring against South Korea.
This was the 19th meeting between Saudi Arabia and South Korea in friendlies and competitive matches combined, dating back to their first encounter in 1980.
Across the previous 18 matches, Saudi Arabia had won 5, South Korea 6, with the other 7 ending in draws.
Saudi Arabia's last win, though, came 21 years ago. Back in 2005, they beat South Korea home and away, 2-0 and 1-0, in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.
Six matches have followed since, and Saudi Arabia have failed to win any of them. South Korea took two, while 4 ended level.
This is the seventh friendly between the sides, a run that began in 1980. South Korea have come out on top twice to Saudi Arabia's single win, with 3 draws.
Saudi Arabia's most famous win over South Korea came in the semi-final of the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, when Talal Al-Meshal scored both goals in a 2-1 victory.
Their most recent clash was in the round of 16 at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. It finished 1-1 in normal time before South Korea went through to the quarter-finals on penalties.
Saudi Arabia are not done in Doha. They play a second friendly on this camp next Tuesday, when they face Uzbekistan.