In a dramatic and breathtaking night of football, Saudi star Saud Abdulhamid , who plays for French club Lens , expressed his immense joy at his team's remarkable achievement in qualifying for the semi-finals of the prestigious French Cup. This thrilling qualification came after a footballing spectacle against Lyon at the Groupama Stadium, which ended in a marathon penalty shootout.
A touching message to Saudi and French fans
Following the match, the Saudi international full-back quickly shared his joy with his followers on the "X" platform (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that this victory represents a pivotal step in his professional career in Europe. Abdulhamid tweeted: "Praise be to God for this success. Today, my teammates and I at Lens achieved an important step towards one of my main goals since the beginning of my professional journey in Europe, and the most important thing is yet to come." Addressing the fans, he added: "I aspire to win my first title here and bring joy to the Lens fans and everyone who supports me in my beloved country. Thank you for your feelings and continued support... and God willing, we will continue until we achieve what we aspire to.".
The thrilling match scenario: from taking the lead to a dramatic equalizer
The match was anything but easy, featuring dramatic twists and turns. Saud Abdulhamid made his mark early in the 22nd minute, leading a well-organized attack and unleashing a powerful shot that rebounded off goalkeeper Descamps, only for his teammate Florian Thauvin to pounce on the loose ball and slot it into the net for the opening goal. Just before the halftime whistle, Lens extended their lead with a second goal from Abdoulaye Diop Sima .
However, football does not recognize surrender, as Lyon came back strongly in the second half, narrowing the gap through Roman Yaremchuk in the 67th minute. Just as everyone was preparing for the final whistle, Remy Humbert a killer equalizer for Lyon in the (90+4) minute, taking the match directly to penalty kicks.
Confidence in penalty shootouts and the importance of the French Cup
In the penalty shootout, Saud Abdul Hamid showed great composure when he stepped up to take the second penalty, skillfully placing the ball in the top corner, contributing to his team's 7-6 victory (5-4 on penalties), after Lyon's Moussa Niakhaté missed his decisive penalty.
This tournament holds special significance, as the French Cup one of the oldest competitions in Europe, featuring a knockout system that gives clubs the chance to make history. Lens's advancement to this stage, with a Saudi player in the starting lineup, reflects the development of Saudi players and their ability to compete at the highest levels in the top five European leagues.
The anticipated semi-final date
With this valuable victory, Lens secured a fiery semi-final clash with Toulouse , scheduled for Wednesday, April 22nd. All eyes are once again on Saud Abdulhamid and his teammates as they strive to continue their quest for the title, a feat that could be historic for Saudi players in European leagues.
