Qatar emerged victorious in their opening match of the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, defeating defending champions Bahrain 2-0 at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on Thursday. The win places Qatar second in Group B, following the United Arab Emirates, who secured a 4-0 win against Yemen earlier in the day.
Boualem Khoukhi gave Qatar the lead in the 61st minute with a header from an Akram Afif set-piece. Despite a setback in the 70th minute when Ahmed Fathi was sent off after receiving his second yellow card, Qatar managed to maintain their advantage. Bahrain intensified their efforts following the dismissal but were unable to capitalize and find an equalizer.
Qatar solidified their triumph in the ninth minute of stoppage time when Hassan Al Haydos converted a penalty, awarded after he was fouled in the box. This decisive goal confirmed Qatar’s victory over Bahrain, setting the tone for their Gulf Cup campaign.
Looking ahead, Qatar is set to face Yemen in their next group encounter, while Bahrain will aim to recover as they prepare to take on the United Arab Emirates.