Saudi Arabia’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup gained vital momentum as they secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Puerto Rico—though the headline story in Austin, Texas, was a chaotic two-hour weather delay.
Under the watchful eye of an officiating crew featuring Bermudian assistant referee Clinton Hayward, the Green Falcons coped far better with the extreme conditions at the Q2 Stadium to record their first win under new head coach Georgios Donis.
However, the international friendly was turned on its head in the 21st minute. Torrential rain and severe lightning strikes forced the players off the pitch and sent spectators scrambling for cover under US safety protocols, halting the game for nearly two hours.
When play finally resumed in the 21st minute after the marathon delay, the three-time AFC Asian Cup™ winners immediately asserted their dominance over their Caribbean opponents.
The breakthrough arrived on the stroke of half-time. Capitalising on a defensive lapse inside the penalty area, Sultan Mandash reacted quickest to fire a composed effort past the goalkeeper and hand the Saudis a deserved lead going into the interval.
Saudi Arabia wasted no time doubling their advantage after the restart. Just five minutes into the second half, Abdullah Al Hamdan pressed high up the pitch, pinched possession from the tracking back defenders, and coolly slotted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
Puerto Rico showed flashes of resilience on the counter-attack, but Hayward and the officiating team kept a tight handle on a physical encounter that saw numerous second-half substitutions.
The gloss was added to the scoreline in the 88th minute. Captain Salem Al Dawsari embarked on a brilliant solo run, weaving through the heart of the Puerto Rican defensive block before smashing a right-footed shot into the center of the goal.
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