January 6 – Bahrain got here from behind to upset Oman in a 2-1 victory to say the Gulf Cup, a prestigious regional match.
The Bahraini loved the right begin to 2025 with a superb collective efficiency to defeat the Omani with a rearguard motion. Within the final 4, they needed to dig deep to beat hosts Kuwait 1-0 and within the closing, they fell behind to an early objective from Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri.
After the break, objectives by Mohammed Marhoon, instrumental within the victory in opposition to Kuwait, and an own-goal by Mohammed Al-Musalami have been sufficient for Bahrain. For the winner, Marhoon pulled the ball again from the wing earlier than Al-Musalami diverted the ball into his personal web.
The ultimate had been pushed again a day however native organisers didn’t give a cause for the rescheduling.
It’s the second time in six years that Bahrain have received the Gulf Cup.
The Omani had reached the ultimate buoyed by their semi-final win in opposition to Saudi Arabia. The Inexperienced Falcons endured a torrid time in Kuwait. Within the group phases, they have been crushed by the runners-up Bahrain and wanted a last-minute objective to beat Yemen. All through the match, Hervé Renard’s Saudi crew didn’t click on. Final yr, the Saudis, who will host the 2027 Asian Cup, additionally flopped on the Asian Cup below then-manager Roberto Mancini.
Renard and his crew weren’t the one heavyweights to disappoint on the Gulf Cup. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates didn’t make it out of the group phases.
In March, focus will return to the World Cup qualifiers.
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