For the first time ever, Saudi Arabia’s national women’s football team won its first-ever international match beating the Seychelles team with a 2-0 win earlier this week,The match, which is part of a tournament of international friendly matches, was held at the National Stadium in Maldives.
Saudi player, Al-Bandari Mubarak scored the first goal. She becomes the first Saudi female player to score a goal for the Saudi women’s football team in history.
Mariam al-Tamimi scored the second goal from a penalty kick during the second half of the match.
The football team kicked off its training sessions at a preparatory camp on January 14 in the Saudi city of Jeddah., and later traveled to Riyadh on January 27 to resume its second training phase before heading to Maldives for the third and final training phase of its first program.
The team will also play another friendly match against the Maldives on Thursday.
Monika Staab, the coach of the Saudi women’s football team, had voiced the significance of this “historical game” ahead of the match, saying: “This is a historical moment for women’s football in Saudi Arabia.”
“I want to tell the players to enjoy [the matches] and to be proud of being in the [team]. They must give their [best] during these two matches… they are very lucky to have this opportunity of representing Saudi Arabia,” the German coach added.
Lamia bin Bahian, director of the women’s football department and member of the board of directors of the Saudi football federation, said the match is a historical event given it’s the first for the women’s football team.
“This is the beginning. There is a long journey to achieve our aim of participating in regional and international championships,” she was quoted as saying by SPA.
Following their victory over the Seychelles, the Women’s Football Department in the Saudi Football Federation, congratulated the team via Twitter and wrote: “Together, we make history.”
Legendary player Pele also congratulated the team saying: “Today is a historic day not only for you, but for everyone who loves football.”
In November 2021, The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) announced the launch of the first edition of the Saudi Women’s Football League, in a step that comes within the SAFF’s time frame dedicated to the women’s football support program since 2017.