Donis hails Saudi team’s defense after reaching Gulf Cup final

Saudi Arabia’s head football coach Georgios Donis praised his team’s technical performance and tactical discipline throughout their campaign in the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, highlighting that not conceding any goals so far reflects the players’ collective effort and hard work.

Donis made his remarks during a press conference following Saudi Arabia’s qualification for the final, after defeating Qatar 3-2 on penalties. The match, held at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah as part of the semifinals, ended goalless after regular and extra time.

Donis explained that Saudi Arabia faced a tough opponent that relied on a defensive approach, making it difficult to create chances. He noted that while his players managed to generate some opportunities, they were unable to convert them, which he described as a normal part of football.

He added that fatigue is natural in short, intensive tournaments, stressing the importance of focusing on the final step. Donis also looked forward to strong support from fans in the final, emphasizing their significant impact on the team.

Donis underlined that competing in the tournament requires focusing on each match individually, given the strength of the competition and the short intervals between games. He said the coaching staff is working to optimize both recovery and tactical preparation.

He pointed out that one of the main positives is that the team has played five matches in the tournament without conceding a goal, attributing this to the players’ abilities and stressing the importance of ball possession and building a unique team identity step by step through continued hard work.