Saudi Arabia defeated Puerto Rico 3-0 in a friendly match Saturday
Saudi Arabia beat Puerto Rico 3-0 in Austin on Saturday in a friendly match that was delayed for nearly two hours due to bad weather, ahead of their participation in the 2026 World Cup.
The referee stopped the match at the 21st minute, asking the players to head to the dressing rooms, while the stadium management called on the fans to evacuate the stands and head to the covered areas to preserve their safety, in accordance with the weather protocol adopted in the United States, which stipulates that play be suspended when thunderstorms or lightning are detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium.
The protocol stipulates that the match should be stopped for 30 minutes when a storm occurs, but its repetition led to the countdown being reset more than once, before the match resumed after a stoppage of nearly two hours.
The goals were scored by Sultan Mandash (45+1), Abdullah Al-Hamdan (50), and Salem Al-Dawsari (88).
This is the first victory for the “Green” team under the leadership of its new Greek coach, Giorgos Donis, following the loss to Ecuador in the first match 1-2. It will conclude its friendly matches with a strong encounter against Senegal on June 9, before the start of its journey in the World Cup in Group H alongside
