Saudi Arabia sack Peseiro after Asia Cup defeat

DOHA - Saudi Arabian football officials Sunday fired coach Jose Peseiro after their team was stunned 2-1 by Syria in their Asian Cup Group B opener earlier in the evening.

The Saudi news agency SPA said that the Portuguese Peseiro had been relieved of his duties with immediate effect and that Nasser Al-Johar would coach the team for the two final group games against Japan and Jordan.

Peseiro has held two press conferences since arriving with his team for the Asian Cup in Qatar and both times he has faced a barrage of criticism.

The Portuguese national was asked whether he accepted responsibility for the defeat.

“Do you take responsibility for the defeat, and if you do, are you going to resign?”, a Saudi Arabian reporter asked him, while another questioned whether they were to blame for the defeat.

The 50-year-old, for whom Saudi Arabia is the first position as national team coach, fought back though. “I am not playing against the media, I am playing against Japan, Jordan and Syria.

“It was not a good result, but we did not play all that badly. We showed some good spirit and we deserved a better result,” he said, adding that he thought the team could still go through.

“I believe in this team, I believe we are winners. If we beat Jordan and Japan in our next two matches we will go through to the next phase.”

Peseiro had also come under attack at Saturday’s pre-match conference when reporters questioned his strategies. “You are free to write what you like about me but don’t demoralize my players.”

He told them that he did not owe them anything as he was employed by the Saudi football association, not them.

Sunday’s defeat sees Saudi Arabia bottom of the group with no point, while Syria top the group with three points. Jordan and Japan, whom the Saudis will face in their next two games have one point.