Substitute Amar Alyuhabi scored a dramatic last-minute goal as hosts China fell 1-0 to Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals of the AFC U20 Asian Cup in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, on Saturday, missing out on qualification for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.
In the 95th minute, Alyuhabi fired a right-footed shot from a tight angle, connecting with a cross from Talal Haji, and sent the ball into the bottom right corner, sealing the victory for Saudi Arabia.
China dominated possession but the young squad struggled to convert chances, including a missed penalty in the second half. Head coach Dejan Djurdjevic fielded the Chinese mainland’s strongest lineup, while Saudi Arabia made the surprising decision to bench several key starters, including Rakan Alghamdi, Haji, and Ziyad Alghamdi.
In the 30th minute, Wang Yudong came close to breaking the deadlock, but his right-footed shot narrowly missed the target. Wang later won a penalty for China in the 59th minute, but Liu Chengyu’s effort from the spot was denied by the Saudi goalkeeper.
As the game entered the final 30 minutes, Saudi Arabia brought on several substitutes, including Alyuhabi and Haji, who combined for the last-minute winning goal.
In another quarterfinal match, Australia defeated Iraq 3-2 to reach the semifinals. According to U20 Asian Cup regulations, the top four teams of the tournament qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup, which will take place in Chile from September to October. Therefore, both Saudi Arabia and Australia have secured their places at the tournament.
