Qatar launched their campaign in the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup with a decisive 2-0 victory against defending champions Bahrain at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on Thursday. The win places Qatar second in Group B, just behind the United Arab Emirates, who earlier secured a dominant 4-0 win over Yemen.
The match saw a breakthrough in the 61st minute when Boualem Khoukhi scored by heading in a well-placed free-kick from Akram Afif. However, Qatar faced a setback shortly after as Ahmed Fathi was sent off in the 70th minute after receiving his second yellow card, reducing his team to 10 players.
Despite being a man down, Qatar managed to withstand Bahrain’s intensified efforts to level the score. The match was sealed in Qatar’s favor when Hassan Al Haydos converted a penalty in the ninth minute of stoppage time, following a foul on him inside the penalty area.
The victory is a significant boost for Qatar as they prepare to face Yemen in their next group stage match. Meanwhile, Bahrain will aim to recover and strategize for their upcoming encounter with the UAE, hoping to keep their tournament hopes alive.