The female soccer team representing the nation of Saudi Arabia has achieved a historic milestone by winning the championship of a tournament featuring itself, Pakistan, Mauritius, and Comoros, held in the Kingdom.
On Thursday night, Saudi Arabia ended the Women’s International Friendly Tournament with a 1-1 tie against Pakistan, earning them 7 points and the top spot on the standings.
Al Bandary Mubarak put Saudi Arabia ahead with a goal in the first period, which was preceded by Mariam Al Tamimi’s penalty shot leading to a 1-0 victory over Mauritius and Noura Ibrahim and Dalia Adel’s strikes for a 2-0 triumph against the Comoros. Pakistan ended up in second place with 4 points, the Comoros and Mauritius shared the third spot with 3 points each.
The Saudi Arabia women’s national football team secured its first-ever trophy after emerging victorious in a four-team tournament held in the Kingdom which included the hosts, Pakistan, Mauritius, and Comoros.
Sarah Khalid from Saudi Arabia earned the award for best goalkeeper, having only allowed one goal through the duration of the competition. Maria Jamila Khan from Pakistan was named the tournament’s best player, and Onalaya Ali from Comoros was the top scorer.
The tournament was also a point of pride for Anoud al-Asmari, who had the honor of officiating her first match as a FIFA referee. This was another first for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
At the start of 2023, Al-Asmari was assigned to the FIFA roster and is the first Saudi female referee to be honored with a FIFA badge of distinction.
Thursday’s memorable occasion signifies another chapter in the progression of women’s sports in Saudi Arabia.
For the first time, the Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium in the Eastern Province was the venue for a women’s international 11-a-side tournament.
At the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, supervisor of the Women’s Football Department and board member Lamia Bahaian expressed her joy, remarking: “We are all ecstatic over this momentous day in Saudi Arabian football. Our congratulations go out to the talented players in the women’s national team, as well as all the management, coaching and staff members who made this accomplishment possible. We are all filled with pride.”
The triumph of this tourney will motivate a lot of young females throughout the Kingdom to partake in soccer and experience all the merriment that the beautiful game brings.
