Qatar secured a 2-0 victory against defending champions Bahrain in their opening match of the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, held at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on Thursday. The win places Qatar in a strong position within Group B.
Boualem Khoukhi broke the deadlock in the 61st minute, heading in from an expertly delivered Akram Afif free-kick. Despite being reduced to 10 men following Ahmed Fathi’s second yellow card in the 70th minute, Qatar managed to hold their ground against Bahrain’s subsequent offensive efforts.
As Bahrain intensified their attack seeking an equalizer, Qatar maintained their composure and extended their lead in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Hassan Al Haydos clinched the victory by converting a penalty after being fouled inside the box.
With this result, Qatar is now second in Group B, trailing the United Arab Emirates, who earlier defeated Yemen 4-0. Looking ahead, Qatar will face Yemen in their next group match, while Bahrain is set to play against the UAE.