The Nou Estadi Costa Daurada in Tarragona, Spain, witnessed the start of the fifth edition of the Al Abtal Cup today. The opening match between the Future Falcons and Dinamo Zagreb ended in a goalless draw, with the Saudi team delivering a strong performance against one of Croatia’s most prestigious clubs.
The match began evenly, with Turki Alsaeed making a run down the left flank, getting himself inside the box, and firing a shot that narrowly missed the goal. Dinamo Zagreb’s Serino responded with a powerful strike that was cleared by the defence for a corner. In the 36th minute, Ali Almaki surprised the Croatian defence with a powerful shot from outside the box, which was saved by goalkeeper Grakhanin. The rebound fell to Ali Qazwani, who failed to slot the ball home into an open net, meaning the first half ended with the scores level at 0-0.
The second half unfolded much like the first, with play largely confined to an evenly-matched midfield tussle. The Saudi team showcased great strength, cohesion in their passing between the lines, and strict tactical discipline, making it difficult for Dinamo Zagreb’s skilful players to break through their defence. When it came to attacking pressure, the Future Falcons’ attackers performed well, displaying some impressive individual skills. However, both teams’ efforts failed to change the scoreline, and the match concluded in a 0-0 draw.
