The much-anticipated final of the Sand King's Crown was played in Riyadh on the evening of June 1 against Riyadh Victory and
Riyadh Crescent
. This game is not only a summit match for Saudi Arabia, but also a key battle between the two teams for the Triple Crown this season.
Riyadh Victory was the first to break the deadlock in the first half of the match. In the 17th minute, Mitrovic made use of a precise header to score the first goal for Riyadh Victory. After that, Riyadh Victory took the initiative on the field with tight defense and effective offense.
However, there was a sudden change in the second half. In the 59th minute, Riyadh Victory goalkeeper Ospina committed a handball foul outside the penalty area, and the referee sent him off with a red card, forcing Riyadh Victory to play with 10 men. This changed the situation and Riyadh Crescent started to take the initiative in the match.
In the 88th minute, Riyadh Crescent launched a quick counter-attack and Blahi was shown a red card for a foul on a bull in the box. Just four minutes later, Crescent's other center back, Koulibaly, also received a red card for a header on the goalkeeper. Crescent's two center backs received two reds in four minutes, a dramatic scene that made the game extremely tense.
In extra time, Yahya seized the opportunity to equalize with a header, sending the game into extra time. After the extra time, both teams had nothing to show for it and the game had to go into a brutal penalty shootout.
Riyadh Crescent players showed resilience in the penalty shootout. Bunu made two penalty kicks and saved the crucial penalty kicks for his team. In the end, Riyadh Crescent beat Riyadh Victory 5-4 in the penalty shootout and lifted the Sand King's Crown trophy 6-5 on aggregate.
The game was a stunning comeback, as Riyadh Crescent, with one man less, accomplished the comeback to Riyadh's victory with their tenacious fighting spirit and excellent tactical execution. Their victory is not only a recognition of their own strength, but also the best interpretation of team spirit.
This season, Riyadh Crescent has already won the Saudi King's Cup and the Saudi League Championship, and the winning of the Saudi King's Crown has made them the Triple Crown Champions of the Saudi soccer world. This achievement not only highlights the team's strength and heritage, but is also a great encouragement for the team's future development.
