Qatar kicked off their 27th Arabian Gulf Cup campaign with a commendable 2-0 win over defending champions Bahrain at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on Thursday. This victory marked a strong start for Qatar in the tournament, positioning them well in Group B.
The match saw its first breakthrough in the 61st minute when Boualem Khoukhi scored by heading in a free-kick delivered by Akram Afif, giving Qatar the lead. However, the momentum seemed to shift when Ahmed Fathi of Qatar was sent off in the 70th minute after receiving his second yellow card, reducing Qatar to 10 men.
Despite the disadvantage, Qatar held their ground against Bahrain’s offensive push. The Qatari defense kept Bahrain from finding the equalizer. The situation turned decisively in Qatar’s favor during stoppage time. In the ninth added minute, Hassan Al Haydos was fouled inside the box and successfully converted the ensuing penalty, securing the final score at 2-0.
This result places Qatar in second place in Group B, trailing the United Arab Emirates, who triumphed over Yemen with a 4-0 victory earlier the same day. Looking ahead, Qatar is set to face Yemen in their next group match, while Bahrain will take on the UAE.