Two Thrilling Clashes in the Gulf Cup Semi-Finals
All eyes are on Tuesday’s two highly anticipated matches in the semi-finals of the Gulf Cup (Gulf 26), as Saudi Arabia faces Oman, and host nation Kuwait takes on Bahrain.
In the first matchup, Saudi Arabia faces a tough test. The team, competing with a lineup of main players, must prove itself after an opening loss to Bahrain (2-3) and a dramatic comeback victory against Yemen, overturning a two-goal deficit to secure a late 3-2 win.
The “Green Falcons” secured their spot in the semi-finals with a well-deserved 3-1 win over Iraq in the group stage final.
Saudi Arabia is chasing its fourth title after triumphs in 1994, 2002, and 2003. However, the team will miss Nasser Al-Dosari due to card accumulation and Abdullah Al-Malki due to injury, joining a growing list of sidelined players this tournament, including Firas Al-Buraikan, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Abdullah Al-Amri, Saleh Al-Shehri, and Abdullah Al-Khaibari.
Abdullah Al-Hawsawi and Awn Al-Salouli are the leading candidates to replace Al-Dosari and Al-Malki.
On the other hand, Oman seeks to solidify its reputation by reaching the final for the second consecutive time and the sixth in its history.
Since the introduction of the knockout system in 2004, Oman, crowned champions in 2009 (against Saudi Arabia) and 2017 (against UAE), has reached the final a record five times, most recently in 2023, when they lost to Iraq in extra time (2-3).
Oman topped Group A despite being considered a weak contender, following struggles in World Cup qualifiers, where they sit fourth in their third-round group with two wins and four losses.
Oman narrowly avoided elimination in their final group stage match against the UAE. They first trailed 0-1 until Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri equalized in the 79th minute to secure a 1-1 draw sufficient for qualification. Then, in stoppage time, goalkeeper Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini saved a penalty to ensure their progression.
Showdown Between Kuwait and Bahrain
The clash between host Kuwait and Bahrain at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, with a 60,000-seat capacity, is a top matchup. Bahrain topped their group after wins over Saudi Arabia (3-2) and Iraq (2-0) but lost with a reserve lineup to Yemen (1-2). Kuwait finished second behind Oman with five points, edging out on fair play (7-9 yellow cards).
Kuwait holds the record for the most Gulf Cup titles (10), with their last in 2010 in Yemen, while Bahrain won their sole title in Qatar in 2019.
This marks Kuwait’s first semi-final appearance since 2013. However, they must cope with the absence of influential midfielder Ahmed Al-Dhafiri due to card accumulation. Reza Hani is expected to partner Sultan Al-Anzi, while coach Juan Antonio Pizzi may deploy midfielder Hamad Harbi in central defense as he did against Qatar.
Kuwait relies on key players like Mohammed Dham, Youssef Nasser, Sultan Al-Anzi, and Khalid Ibrahim.
Coach Pizzi, who previously managed Bahrain during the last Asian Cup, has ample knowledge of his former team. He led Bahrain in ten matches between September 2023 and January 2024, securing five wins, four losses, and one draw.
Bahrain, under Croatian coach Dragan Talajić, will depend on players like Waleed Al-Hayyam, Amin Binadi, Kamil Al-Aswad, Ali Madan, Mohammed Marhoon, and Mahdi Abduljabbar. However, they will miss Sayyed Mahdi Baqer, who was sent off against Yemen.
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