Qatar off to a blazing start in Gulf Cup

Doha: Defending champions Qatar opened their Gulf Cup campaign in some style as they pumped in four goals past Yemen in a Group B match at the Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium on Saturday.

Felix Sanchez’s men dominated their hapless opponents in all departments of the game right from the word go and they took the lead as early as in the second minute of the game.

Ismael Mohamed, who played in the first half as if he owned the right flank, crossed the ball into the danger area where Akram Afif arrived with pace and met it with a powerful downward header that gave Yemen goalkeeper Mohammed Ayash no chance.

Three minutes later Qatar increased the lead and Afif played a major role in that goal too. His diagonal ball into the box, hit with the outside of his right foot, was inviting to say the least and it was Almehdi Ahli, playing in the central defence, who took the opportunity to nod it home.

While Yemen struggled to stitch together more than a couple of passes, Qatar stroke the ball around with ease.

After Qatar captain Hassan Al Haydous tested Ayash with a powerful shot, Almoez Ali made it 3-0 in the 18th minute and the match was over as a contest.

Ismael was again the provider and Almoez’s shot took a deflection off a Yemen defender before resting inside the goal.

Yemen looked a lot more organised after the breather and Saad Al Sheeb had to make a smart save to deny Al Addin Mehdi. But it was Qatar who came close to scoring again as Ismael hit straight at the keeper after Almoez's slaloming run through the middle. 

Ismael almost put his name on the scoresheet when he played a neat one-two with Karim Boudiaf, but his scuffed shot hit the post and went out of play.

Qatar, however, got their fourth goal in the 85th minute when Pedro Miguel acrobatically headed in Afif's corner from the left.

In the other match in the group, Bahrain and Iraq played out a 1-1 draw.

Qatar take on Iraq in their next match on Tuesday while Yemen play Bahrain.