January 6 – Bahrain came from behind to upset Oman in a 2-1 victory to claim the Gulf Cup, a prestigious regional tournament.
The Bahraini enjoyed the perfect start to 2025 with a fine collective performance to defeat the Omani with a rearguard action. In the last four, they had to dig deep to overcome hosts Kuwait 1-0 and in the final, they fell behind to an early goal from Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri.
After the break, goals by Mohammed Marhoon, instrumental in the victory against Kuwait, and an own-goal by Mohammed Al-Musalami were enough for Bahrain. For the winner, Marhoon pulled the ball back from the wing before Al-Musalami diverted the ball into his own net.
The final had been pushed back a day but local organisers did not give a reason for the rescheduling.
It’s the second time in six years that Bahrain have won the Gulf Cup.
The Omani had reached the final buoyed by their semi-final win against Saudi Arabia. The Green Falcons endured a torrid time in Kuwait. In the group stages, they were beaten by the runners-up Bahrain and needed a last-minute goal to overcome Yemen. Throughout the tournament, Hervé Renard’s Saudi team failed to click. Last year, the Saudis, who will host the 2027 Asian Cup, also flopped at the Asian Cup under then-manager Roberto Mancini.
Renard and his team were not the only heavyweights to disappoint at the Gulf Cup. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates failed to make it out of the group stages.
In March, focus will return to the World Cup qualifiers.
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