DOHA, Qatar (AP) 鈥 It was a home crowd for Saudi Arabia on Saturday as it played Poland in its second match at the World Cup.
Despite clear disappointment , Saudi fans were still basking in the glow of their team's improbable win against Argentina earlier this week, .
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to forget what happened today,鈥 said Ahmad al-Khalaf, a 35-year-old from the country鈥檚 eastern al-Ahsa region, when asked about the defeat. 鈥淔or sure, we鈥檙e going to beat (Mexico) in the next match as we beat Argentina before.鈥
The stadium was a sea of green as stands filled with tens of thousands of Saudi fans, lured across the border by the lingering thrill of their country鈥檚 rare World Cup triumph. Men in dark green jerseys and women in lime-hued abayas, their faces painted in the colors of the national flag, cheered each moment a Saudi player kicked the ball. When Poland鈥檚 players made a move, boos thundered around the pitch.
Some fans speculated that the sheer size and intensity of the crowd created pressure that hurt the team's performance. But others reveled in the sense of togetherness.
鈥淭he crowd was totally beautiful,鈥 said 25-year-old Malek al-Malki from the port city of Jeddah. 鈥淚t's clear we suddenly believe more in our national team.鈥
Few had predicted that the ultraconservative kingdom, the second lowest-ranked team in the World Cup, would have been swept up in the wildest revelry of the tournament so far. But the kingdom鈥檚 affection for the national team reflects the new, more nationalistic Saudi Arabia rising under powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The win over Argentina sparked from Cairo to Gaza City in a rare display of Arab unity.
That pride and patriotism was undimmed on Saturday, even as crestfallen fans filtered out of the stadium.
鈥淭hat joy lives forever,鈥 said Osama al-Jamal, a 22-year-old student who drove from Riyadh to watch his team play.
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