Oman and Bahrain to face off in Gulf Cup final
Oman and Bahrain have secured their spots in the final of the 26th Gulf Cup after dramatic victories in their respective semi-final matches on Tuesday.
Oman overcomes Saudi Arabia to reach sixth final
Oman defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1 in a thrilling encounter despite being reduced to ten men early in the first half. The game began with Saudi Arabia dominating possession and creating early chances, but Oman’s defensive resilience held firm. What seemed like a possible turning point came in the 34th minute when Oman’s Al-Mundher Al-Alawi received a red card, leaving the team with ten players. However, despite the setback, Oman held their ground, and the first half ended in a goalless stalemate.
In the second half, Oman struck first through Arshad Al-Alawi, who scored in the 73rd minute with a low free-kick that went in off a deflection. Their lead was doubled in the 84th minute when Ali Al-Busaidi punished catastrophic defending from the Saudis to make the score 2-0. Saudi Arabia pulled one back two minutes later, with Mohammed Kano scoring to keep the game alive. However, Oman’s resolute defending in the closing stages ensured their victory, and the match ended with Saudi Arabia unable to find an equaliser. The defeat for the Saudis was further marred by a late red card for Abdulelah Al-Hawsawi during injury time, adding to their frustration. Oman thus reached their sixth Gulf Cup final, after previous appearances in 2004, 2007, 2009, 2017 and 2023.
Bahrain edges hosts Kuwait
In the other semi-final, Bahrain narrowly defeated host nation Kuwait 1-0 in front of more than 60,000 spectators at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. The first half saw Kuwait narrowly escape conceding when Bahrain’s Mahdi Humaidan’s close-range shot was saved by goalkeeper Khalid Al-Rashidi, and the rebound was cleared off the line by defender Fahad Al-Hajri. The teams went into halftime level, with Bahrain frustrated by missed opportunities.
The second half began with Bahrain’s Mohammed Marhoon firing a powerful shot that rattled the crossbar in the 48th minute. Shortly after, Bahrain’s task became even harder when Mehdi Abduljabbar was sent off in the 52nd minute after receiving a second yellow card. Kuwait capitalised on their numerical advantage to dominate possession and apply pressure, but Bahrain stood firm.
Against the run of play, Bahrain shocked Kuwait in the 76th minute when Mohammed Marhoon pounced on a loose ball following a free-kick from Kamil Al-Aswad to score the game’s only goal. The referee waited for a VAR review, but the goal stood and the passionate Bahraini fan contingent celebrated.
Bahrain’s defence then held out against a relentless Kuwaiti attack to secure a hard-fought victory.
The two teams in red – Oman and Bahrain – will now face off in the Gulf Cup final, set to take place on Saturday at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.
