Omar Al Somah

Omar Al Somah
Personal information
Full name Omar Jihad Al Somah
Date of birth (1989-03-28) 28 March 1989
Place of birth Deir ez-Zor, Syria
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Al Ahli
Number 9
Youth career
Al-Futowa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Al Futowa 39 (22)
2011–2014 Al Qadsia 68 (43)
2014– Al Ahli 69 (74)
National team‡
2007–2008 Syria U20 2 (1)
2008–2012 Syria U23 12 (5)
2012 Syria 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 August 2017.
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 December 2012

Omar Jihad Al Somah (Arabic: عمر جهاد السومة‎‎; born 28 March 1989 in Deir ez-Zor) is a Syrian football player who is currently playing for Al Ahli in the Saudi Professional League.[1]

Nicknamed in Syria as Al-ʿAqqid (Arabic: العكيد‎‎) which is a historical civil character in Damascus known for participating in the resistance against occupiers and for being courageous, helpful and generous, he is also called Al-ʿAqīd (Arabic: العقيد‎‎).

In July 2012, he participated in three games with Nottingham Forest F.C., scoring once in a trial of month.[2] He impressed manager Sean O'Driscoll enough that the club were looking to sign him on a permanent basis but he was denied a work permit and the club wasn't able to sign him.[3]

Al Somah began his football career at the age of 12 joining the youth academy of Al-Futowa (Deir ez-Zor) which won in 2007/2008 the title of the Syrian Under 18 top division,[4] Al Somah won the top scorer of the league that season with 29 goals [5] and he also got his first international goal with Syria U-19 against Iraq in 2008 AFC U-19 Championship.

Club career

Al-Futowa

He became a regular in the first team at the age of 19 scoring 12 goals making him the third top scorer in his debut season in Syrian Premier League 2008–09, in 2009/2010 Al Somah helped the relegated Al Fotuwa to win the title of the Syrian second division north and promoted back to top division. He scored 5 goals in the 2010–11 The season was suspended at the half of March and after a few months Al-Somah had joined Al Qadsia from Kuwaiti Premier League.

Al Qadsia

While at Al Qadsia, Al Somah helped winning 8 trophies with Al Qadsia, 2 trophies in Kuwaiti Premier League from 2012 and 2014, 2 trophies in Kuwait Emir Cup from 2012 and 2013, 2 trophies in Kuwait Crown Prince Cup from 2013 and 2014. 2 trophies in Kuwait Super Cup from 2013 and 2014.and AFC Cup finalist in 2013, after making 52 appearance and scoring 37. He joins Al Ahli from Saudi Professional League in July 2014.

Al Ahli

2014–15 season

In July 2014, Omar Al Somah joined Al Ahli on a three-year contract. On 11 August 2014, soon after manager Christian Gross gave him his debut against Al Hazm in Crown Prince Cup with 1-0 victory. On 16 August 2014, He scored his first goal and Hat-trick in Saudi Professional League for Al Ahli SC against Hajer, The match was ended with 6-1 result.

On 9 January 2015, He renewed his contract with Al Ahli for 2 more years until 2018.

On 13 February 2015, Omar scored the first goal for Al Ahli in the final of the Saudi Crown Prince Cup against Al-Hilal and won the title. It was his 18th goal in a season with Al Ahli in 17 matches. On 17 February 2015, Somah helped Al Ahli to qualify in the group stage of AFC Champions League by scoring the first goal in a penalty kick against his former club Al Qadsia.

On 15 May 2015, Omar Al Somah ended the 2014–15 season as the top scorer in the Saudi Professional League with 22 goals, but unfortunately he didn't win the league title with Al Ahli SC. He also continued his good form in 2015 scored 5 goals in 6 matches. He finished first season with Al Ahli SC scored 31 goals (22 goals in Saudi Professional League, 3 goals in Crown Prince Cup and 6 goals in AFC Champions League) in 33 matches. He won Al Ahli player of the year by fans.

2015–16 season

In August 2015, He started the second season with Al Ahli SC against Al-Taawon FC. He didn't score and the game ended 0-0. On 27 August, Omar Al Somah scored the first goal for his club in the second match against Al Khaleej. The match was ended in favour of Al Ahli SC 4-0. On 18 October 2015, he scored the first hat-trick of its second season against Al Nassr, Al Ahli SC won that with result 4-2. He also continued his good form in Crown Prince Cup and led Al Ahli SC to win the match against Al-Ittifaq. At the end of the October, he won the player of the month award.

Omar Al Soma continued his good with Al Ahli scoring goal against Al Shabab and Al Ittihad. Four day after Al Ahli's victory against Al Ittihad, he kicked Al-Faisaly player Abel Camara without ball. That match was drawn by 1-1. After the match, he was banned by Saudi Football disciplinary Committee for two matches. On 14 December 2015, after two matches ban, He scored a great Hattrick against Al Raed in matchday 11. He played nine matches in first round of league out of 14, scored 10 goals.

After a surprising defeat against Najran SC in league, he with his team made a strong comeback and won all the remaining games of the league. He scored in all the last eight games of the league, including two against 13 times champions and second place Al Hilal the match that decided the league champion.

In 2015–16 league, he totally scored 27 goals in twenty two matches and helped Al Ahli to win the Saudi Professional League for the first time in 32 years.

On 29 May 2016, Al Soma scored the decisive goal in the extra-time of the 2016 King Cup final against Al Nassr FC. The match was ended by 2-1.

2016–17 season

On 8 August 2016, he scored the equalizing goal against Al-Hilal and helped the team winning 4-3 on penalties in the 2016 Saudi Super Cup at Craven Cottage in London, United Kingdom. the first title with the new Manager José Manuel Gomes.

On 14 August 2016, he scored twice against Al-Ettifaq at the opening of 2016–17 season, with this brace he was the fastest foreigner player in the world who passes the 50 goals mark in only 45 League games.

On 21 October 2016, Al-Ahli lost the second match in the league for the first time in two years against Al Nassr FC. It was also the first match in which he didn't score any goal.

With the return of the manager Christian Gross, Omar Al Somah scored a hat-trick against Hajer Club in the Saudi Crown Prince Cup Quarter finals on 25 October 2016.

Four days after on 29 October 2016, he scored his second super Hat-trick in the 7th round against Al-Khaleej, with this he became the Saudi Professional League best foreigner top scorer in its history with 59, and the most Hat-trick scoring player with 7. He continued his good form & scoring against Al-Wahda. The match was ended with a result 4-0.

On 25 November 2016, he scored against Al Hilal in the league, but the team lost 2-1. With this defeat, Al Hilal won in Jeddah after eight years.

In December 2016, Al Soma scored six goals in six matches, 4 goals in five league matches and 2 goals in a cup semifinal match.

On January 27, 2017, he scored twice against Al Shabab FC, but got booked by the referee that is why he was absent from the derby Jeddah against rivals Al Ittihad. He made a comeback on February 9 against Al Qadisiya, but unable to save a team from the disastrous defeat. After this painful defeat, Al Ahli lost another match in the league and this time at home against Al Nassr by 2-0.

After two consecutive defeats in the league, he started the 2017 AFC Champions League on a high note, scored on a match day one against Uzbek Club Bunyodkor. The match was ended in the favor of Al Ahli by 2-0.

On 28 February 2017, Omar scored a decisive goal in a free-kick against Iranian Club Zob Ahan Esfahan F.C. before the five minutes of the stoppage time and helped the team to remain at the top position of the group C at the end of match day two.

International career

He played for the Syrian U-19 national team in the AFC U-19 Championship 2008 in Saudi Arabia and a member of the Syrian U-23 national team. He was a part of the Syrian U-23 national team in the Mediterranean Games 2009 in Italy and Asian football qualifiers for 2012 Olympics Round 4 (play-off round). He was a part of the Syria national football team in the 2012 WAFF Championship in Kuwait.

Style of play

Omar Al Somah plays an attacking role, most often playing as Centre-Forward, and is known for his finishing and free kick ability. He is also an accurate set piece specialist and is renowned for his bending free kicks. Uniquely, his height, strength, jumping ability and heading technique have given him an edge in winning aerial challenges for balls, with many of his goals often being headers, he also scores with both feet.[6] His playing style have led him to be nicknamed the "Syrian Ibrahimović".

Statistics

As of 11 August 2017

Club Season Saudi Premier League Crown Prince Cup Saudi Champions Cup Saudi Super Cup AFC Champions League Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Al-Ahli 2014–15 22224300––763331
2015–1622273234––313134
2016–172424374411543740
2017–18110000000011
Career total 6974101278111511102106

Honours

Club

Al-Futowa
Al-Qadsia
Al-Ahli

International

Syria

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "الأزرق دوت كوم". Alazraq.com. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "Nottingham Forest trialists hope to do Arab football proud". Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  3. ↑ McDaid, Paul (22 August 2012). "Nottingham Forest fail to land work permits for Kuwaiti trio". Sport360.com. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  4. 1 2 "دوري الشباب السوري". Kooora.com. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 "دوري الشباب السوري". Kooora.com. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "Saudi Pro League Statistics 2014/2015". Slstat.com. 28 March 1989. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
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