San Diego, CA – In their inaugural face-off, Saudi Arabia and Haiti clashed in a Group D encounter at Snapdragon Stadium during the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. The match saw Saudi Arabia take an early lead, with Saleh Al-Shehri converting a penalty in the 21st minute.

The penalty was awarded after Al-Shehri himself was brought down in the box by Frantzdy Pierrot. Al-Shehri stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past the Haitian goalkeeper, sending a low shot into the net. The goal gave Saudi Arabia a 1-0 lead, marking a significant moment for the Green Falcons in their debut Gold Cup appearance.

Despite Haiti's early dominance and offensive capabilities demonstrated in the Concacaf Nations League, where they scored 29 goals, they found themselves trailing. Players like Dukens Nazon and Frantzdy Pierrot, who had been instrumental in Haiti's strong showing in the Nations League, were unable to break down the Saudi defense in the first half.

Saudi Arabia, making its debut as a guest nation in the Concacaf Gold Cup, aimed to make a statement. Al-Shehri, already known for his goal against Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, once again found himself in the spotlight, leading his team's attack.

Historically, Haiti has a mixed record against Asian teams, with wins against Qatar, UAE, and Jordan, but this was their first-ever match against Saudi Arabia. The Saudis had last faced a Concacaf opponent in September 2023, losing to Costa Rica in a friendly.

The goal by Al-Shehri has given Saudi Arabia a crucial advantage as they navigate their first Gold Cup tournament. Haiti, on the other hand, faces the challenge of finding an equalizer and potentially surpassing their best-ever finish in the tournament, a semi-final appearance in 2019.