More than a year after their stunning upset against Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia returned to Qatar and pulled off another stunning 2-1 comeback in the first match of the AFC Asian Cup.
Only this time it was an even crazier result, if that were even possible.
The Green Falcons, heavy underdogs on that previous occasion, as one of the likely title contenders, entered Tuesday's tie against Oman as favourites, but initially looked like they would get a taste of their own medicine when their opponents made the decision. They took the lead in the 14th minute thanks to a penalty from Salaah Al-Yahyaei.
Saudi Arabia, who looked largely lackluster in the opening 45 minutes, upped their game after the break but were constantly hampered by a brave and resilient Oman team, who were threatening to pull off the first major upset of the tournament.
Just three minutes after coming on as a substitute, Abdulrahman Ghareeb finally found the equalizer with an excellent individual effort, setting up a grandstand finish that culminated in fireworks in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
When Ali Al-Bulaihi took a corner, the centre-back made no mistake as he placed a header into the back of the net, but the shot was initially disallowed for offside.
But, as with all goals these days, checks were being carried out to determine the legality of the effort and it soon became clear that it was legitimate.
In scenes that had to be seen to be believed, referee Shaun Evans indicated that the goal stood, but his actions appeared to be misinterpreted: the Oman bench jumped in celebration as the Saudi players looked to continue the game.
When Oman resumed play by throwing the ball up the field, Evans had to stop play once again and reiterate that the goal had been scored, which immediately led to scenes of pure drama and chaos.
The Saudi Arabian players gathered once again, this time with no doubt that they had achieved a great comeback.
The joy on the faces of the Oman camp turned to confusion and then despair in a matter of seconds, with several collapsing to the ground in disbelief.
As if the situation wasn't strange enough, Al-Bulaihi then produced one of the most peculiar celebrations in history when he pulled a small object out of his sock and walked towards the corner flag, while constantly pushing away his jubilant teammates who They attempted to hug him, before revealing a green balloon, which he proceeded to inflate before letting it fly into the air.
Moments later, Evans, not expecting to play a pivotal role behind such late drama, blew his whistle for the final time for the night, ending what will go down as one of the most memorable and epic contests. in the history of the Asian Cup.
They may have done the job, but it wasn't pretty, and there will be plenty of work to do for Saudi Arabia coach Roberto Mancini, whose credentials mean expectations for his team are higher than ever.
For tonight at least, they should be allowed to bask in the glow of another stunning victory on Qatari soil at the Khalifa International Stadium, just over 20 kilometers from the Lusail stadium where they miraculously defeated Argentina two Novembers ago.
Somehow, on a slightly smaller stage against much less illustrious opposition, Saudi Arabia managed to pull off an even more memorable victory.
Again, if that were possible.
