Tariq Al-Saktawi, coach of the national reserve team, praised the fighting spirit displayed by his players during the crucial match against the Syrian team, which ended with a victory for the "Reserve Lions" and their well-deserved qualification to the Arab Cup semifinals.

Al-Saktawi emphasized in his statements after the match that the encounter was by no means easy, given the strength of the Syrian national team and their determination to compete until the final minutes. He added that the Syrian team applied intense pressure at various times, which required greater focus from the players to maintain control and balance.

Al-Saktawi explained that he emphasized to his players before the match the importance of staying calm, controlling the pace of the game, and creating attacks rationally. This approach was reflected in their performance on the field, as the team managed to maintain their rhythm until the final minutes, before Walid Azaro scored the winning goal that secured their qualification.

The national coach expressed his satisfaction with the clear improvement in the team's performance, considering that the squad demonstrated greater cohesion and a higher ability to handle difficult situations, especially after having to make an early substitution due to Tarek Tissoudali's injury, and then continuing the match with a numerical disadvantage following the sending off of player Mofid.

Regarding the anticipated opponent in the semifinal, whether it is the Algerian or the Emirati team, Al-Saktawi emphasized that his focus is primarily on improving his team's performance, adding: "The identity of the opponent doesn't matter; what matters is that we maintain the spirit and performance we showed today."