In the opening match of their 27th Arabian Gulf Cup campaign, Qatar secured a 2-0 victory over defending champions Bahrain at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on Thursday. This win places Qatar in a strong position in Group B, right behind the United Arab Emirates, who earlier triumphed over Yemen with a 4-0 score.
The pivotal moment for Qatar came in the 61st minute when Boualem Khoukhi headed in a goal from an Akram Afif free-kick, giving Qatar the lead. However, the team faced a setback in the 70th minute when Ahmed Fathi was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, reducing Qatar to 10 men on the field.
Despite being a man down, Qatar managed to withstand Bahrain’s offensive push. Bahrain, eager to find an equalizer, intensified their attacks but were unable to break through Qatar’s defense. Qatar eventually secured their victory in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Hassan Al Haydos was brought down inside the box, and he calmly converted the resulting penalty, sealing the 2-0 win.
Looking ahead, Qatar is set to face Yemen in their next group match, while Bahrain will take on the United Arab Emirates. As the tournament progresses, Qatar will aim to build on their solid start and advance further in the competition.