Qatar kicked off their 27th Arabian Gulf Cup campaign with a decisive 2-0 victory over reigning champions Bahrain at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on Thursday. This win positions Qatar as a strong contender in the tournament, placing them second in Group B.
The match saw its first breakthrough in the 61st minute when Boualem Khoukhi capitalized on an Akram Afif free-kick, heading the ball into the net to give Qatar the lead. The game took a dramatic turn in the 70th minute when Qatar’s Ahmed Fathi was sent off after receiving his second yellow card, leaving Qatar to play with ten men.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Qatar maintained their lead as Bahrain pressed forward in search of an equalizer. However, Qatar’s defense held firm, and the team sealed their victory in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Hassan Al Haydos was brought down inside the box, and he confidently converted the resulting penalty to secure the 2-0 win.
The victory puts Qatar behind the United Arab Emirates in Group B standings, following the UAE’s commanding 4-0 win over Yemen earlier the same day. Qatar will face Yemen in their next group match, while Bahrain will look to bounce back as they take on the UAE.