Saudi Arabia ended their US training camp with a 0-0 draw against Senegal in a friendly at Toyota Field in San Antonio on Wednesday, the final fixture before the 2026 World Cup begins in earnest.
The result did not fully reflect Saudi Arabia’s work in the match. Salem Al-Dosari’s cross in the 30th minute found Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, whose firm header was kept out by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. A minute later, a back-heel from Al-Dosari almost caught Mendy off guard before the Senegalese defence intervened.
The standout performer, though, was Al-Owais. The Saudi goalkeeper finished with five saves, including a stop from Camara’s header in the 14th minute and a powerful shot in the 36th that was heading into the net. He held firm against pressure from Sadio Mane and company through the closing stages of the first half to keep a clean sheet.
Saudi Arabia lined up with a back four of Saud Abdulhamid, Abdullah Al-Amri, Hassan Tambakti, and Moteb Al-Harbi, with Abdullah Al-Khaibari and Nasser Al-Dosari in midfield. Salem Al-Dosari led the attack alongside Abu Al-Shamat and Musab Al-Juwayr, with Mohammed Al-Breikan as the focal point.
The second half brought an extensive rotation. Ayman Yahya came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 61st minute, his shot grazing the right post of Mendy’s goal. Nicolas Jackson was sent off for Senegal in the 84th minute after a reckless challenge on Abdullah Al-Hamdan, but the numerical advantage produced nothing.
This was the third match of Saudi Arabia’s American camp, following a 2-1 loss to Ecuador and a 3-0 win over Puerto Rico. Under Dutch head coach Hervé Renard’s successor, the squad heads into the tournament with cleaner defensive numbers than they showed in the weeks prior.
