Maral Artin scores stunning free-kick as Al-Himma reach Saudi Women's Cup quarterfinals
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Armenia women's national team captain Maral Artin scored as Al-Himma secured an impressive 5-3 victory over Al-Ula in the Round of 16 of the 2026/27 Saudi Women's Football Federation Cup.
The match took place on November 13 at Ohod Club's stadium in Medina. Al-Himma, who compete in Saudi Arabia's second tier, pulled off an upset by eliminating a top-flight opponent.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 29th minute, but just two minutes later, Maral Artin equalized with a direct free-kick in the 31st minute.
Following the Armenian international's goal, Al-Himma seized the initiative. Algerian midfielder Kholoud Ouernani emerged as the star of the match, scoring a hat-trick, while Fatima Soufiani also found the net for the winning side.
Al-Ula 3–5 Al-Himma
Al-Himma goalscorers: Maral Artin (31'), Kholoud Ouernani (42', 53', 87'), Fatima Soufiani (55').
With this victory, Al-Himma advanced to the quarterfinals of the Saudi Women's Football Federation Cup for the first time in the club's history. Moreover, they became the first second-division team to reach this stage of the competition.
In the quarterfinals, Maral Artin's team will face defending champions Al-Nassr.
For the Armenia national team captain, this was already her fifth goal of the current season. Artin continues to make an impact in Saudi Arabian football, playing an important role in her team's success.