Agencies
Kuwait City
Bahrain delivered a commanding performance in their opening Group B match of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup as they defeated giants Saudi Arabia 3-2 at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium on Sunday.
The match showcased Bahrain’s attacking prowess as Mahdi Abduljabbar opened the scoring in the 19th minute, followed by a strike from Mahdi Humaidan in the 38th minute.
Saudi Arabia fought back in the second half, with Musab Al Juwayr narrowing the deficit in the 73rd minute.
However, Mohamed Marhoon sealed Bahrain’s dominance with a well-taken goal in the 76th minute.
Saleh Al Shehri converted a penalty in the 86th minute to add a second goal for Saudi Arabia, but their comeback fell short.
With this win, Bahrain now tops Group B on goal difference, edging out Iraq, who earlier defeated Yemen 1-0.
Bahrain’s next challenge will be to maintain their momentum as they aim to secure a spot in the semi-finals.
Iraq beat Yemen 1-0
Earlier at the at the Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah Stadium in Sulaibikhat, Iraq secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Yemen in their Group B match of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup.
Iraq dominated early on creating several opportunities but Yemen also came close on a few occasions, including a shot that struck the outside of the net and a missed clear chance. The decisive moment came in the 64th minute when Ayman Hussein powered home a header, scoring the only goal of the game.
Following the breakthrough, Iraq maintained control to earn a valuable victory.
Monday is a rest day, before Khaleeji Zain 26 action resumes on Tuesday with matches between Kuwait and United Arab Emirates and Qatar and Oman. That group couldn’t be tighter following two 1-1 draws on match day one.