DOHA: Qatar kicked off their Group B campaign in the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup with a 2-0 victory over defending champions Bahrain at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah yesterday.
Boualem Khoukhi scored the opener in the 61st minute, while Hassan Al Haydos converted a stoppage-time penalty to seal the first three points for Qatar.
Julen Lopetegui’s side played with 10 men after Ahmed Fathi was sent off for his second yellow card of the match in the 70th minute.
United Arab Emirates, who thrashed Yemen 4-0, lead the group, followed by Qatar. Al Annabi will next meet Yemen on Sunday, while Bahrain face the UAE on the same day.
Qatar could have taken an early lead but Almoez Ali failed to control an intelligent headed pass from Akram Afif early in the match. Afif then shot over the bar as Qatar looked for the opening goal.
After the cooling break, Fathi should have scored from a Sultan Al Brake cutback but sent his shot well wide.
Afif also fired over the bar as Qatar remained goalless despite creating several opportunities, while Bahrain struggled to put pressure on the Asian champions.
Khoukhi then shot straight into the goalkeeper’s hands as Qatar continued their quest for a goal after the break.
But Khoukhi was clinical in heading home Afif’s delivery from a free kick to give Qatar the lead shortly after Lopetegui made a triple substitution.
Al Haydos came in for Almoez, Yusuf Abdurisag replaced Ahmed Al Ganehi, while Edmilson Junior came off the bench for Karim Boudiaf.
Bahrain put pressure on Qatar after Fathi’s sending-off. Kumail Aswad’s low shot just missed the left post, while Ibrahim Al Khatal headed over the bar.
Abdurisag could have put the game to bed but failed to beat goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla in a one-on-one situation.
Al Haydos drove the ball from the halfway line and was goal-bound before being brought down inside the box by Abbas Al-Asfoor, who was sent off with a red card.
Al Haydos calmly slotted the spot-kick into the right corner in the ninth minute of stoppage time to seal Qatar’s win in style.
Earlier in the first Group B match at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah, Nicolas Gimenez opened the scoring in the 26th minute before Nader Sahal’s own goal doubled the UAE’s lead.
Luanzinho made it 3-0 before half-time, while Gimenez headed his second six minutes after the break from Marcus Meloni’s cross.
Hosts Saudi Arabia will meet Oman, while Kuwait will take on Iraq in Group A action tomorrow.
