A semi-final slot will be at stake tonight when defending champions Bahrain step on to the pitch at the 65,000-seat Basra International Stadium to take on Kuwait in their last Group B game of the eight-nation 25th Arabian Gulf Cup in Basra, Iraq.
Bahrain, who won their maiden Gulf Cup title in 2019, lead the four-team group with six points after defeating the UAE and Qatar, respectively, in their first two games. If they win, or even draw, the game, they will enter the semi-finals as group leaders. A loss, however, could potentially throw the race for the last-four stage wide open.
Ten-time champions Kuwait, who are tied on three points each with Qatar, would draw level with Bahrain if they win. Likewise, if three-time winners Qatar win their last game against two-time champions, the UAE, which will start at the same time at the Al Minaa Olympic Stadium, they will also finish the group-stage with six points, meaning that goal difference will then decide which two teams out of the three progress to the semi-finals.
But Bahrain head coach Helio Sousa said at a Press conference yesterday his team was only focused on trying to win the contest against Kuwait and were not concerned about any possible permutations that might come into play in case they lose.
“All we’re thinking about right now is playing well against Kuwait and having our team in the best possible shape for the game,” he stressed. “We have done exactly what we needed to do by this stage, which is win both our first two matches and get the six points.
“We have backed ourselves and are not focusing on other teams as such. Also, we know that we have won our last two encounters against Kuwait but the team we will play in this match is more consistent and is trying new methods and has a new style of play.
“So we will continue to back ourselves and try to get another three points by winning the game. We are not looking ahead to the semi-finals, or worrying about what will happen if we don’t win. We have taken this short competition one game at a time and that is what we will continue to do.”
Bahrain defender Waleed Al Hayam, who stood in as captain for regular skipper and goalkeeper Sayed Mohamed Jaffar in last Tuesday’s dramatic 2-1 win over Qatar, added that his team was keyed up and ready for the important fixture.
“We are aware of Kuwait’s potential and respect them as a team,” he said. “But we are going to play positively, and play to win so that we can qualify for the semi-finals at the top of the table.”
Meanwhile, Kuwait coach Rui Bento, who, like Sousa, is a former Portuguese international, said his team anticipated a tough game against the Bahrainis.
“This will be a difficult game for both teams,” he said. “The group is interestingly placed and both teams will be going all out for a win.
“But we are high on confidence after beating the UAE 1-0 in our last game, our young players have been playing extremely well and we are sure that we should be able to get over the line.”
Kuwait midfielder Eid Al Rashedi agreed, saying his team believed they could beat Bahrain.
“We will have only one thing on our minds when we are on the pitch: victory!” he declared. “We are determined to qualify for the semi-finals and we will play to the best of our ability to ensure that we win this game.”
Whichever team tops Group B will face three-time champions Oman in the first semi-final next Monday. Oman defeated three-time winners – and losing finalists to Bahrain in 2019 – Saudi Arabia 2-1 in their last Group A game yesterday to finish second on that group’s table with seven points.
The second-placed Group B team will play hosts and three-time champions Iraq in the second semi-final, also on Monday. Iraq thumped Yemen 5-0 in their last Group A match yesterday to also finish with seven points and top the table ahead of Oman because of goal difference.
The Bahrain-Kuwait game will kick off at 6pm.