A late, second-half goal by Oman midfielder Jameel Al Yahmadi propelled his team to a 1-0 win over defending champions Bahrain in the semi-final of the eight-nation 25th Arabian Gulf Cup at the 65,000-seat Basra International Stadium in Iraq yesterday.
Al Yahmadi pounced on a perfect cross in the 83rd minute from fellow midfielder Salaah Al Yahyaei to blast a powerful right-footed kick that made the ball curve to the right, just evading a desperate, lunging dive by Bahrain goalkeeper and captain Sayed Mohamed Jaafar to nestle in the net.
Earlier yesterday, hosts Iraq entered the final following a 2-1 victory over Qatar in the sem-final.
Yesterday’s defeat ended Bahrain’s unbeaten run in the tournament after they had ended the group stage with victories in their first two games against the UAE and Qatar and a 1-1 draw against Kuwait.
Bahrain were left to rue the many missed opportunities they couldn’t capitalise on in both halves, beginning with a fierce Mahdi Al Humaidan kick from the left in the 23rd minute that slammed straight into Oman goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini’s midriff.
Just three minutes later, star striker Abdulla Yusuf Helal’s sprint towards a long cross down the right side of the Oman box was intercepted by Mukhaini, who deflected the ball away from the goal.
Then, in the 58th minute, Jassim Al Shaikh’s left-footed booming kick went just wide to the right of the goalpost and barely 13 minutes later, another left-footed attempt – this time by Ali Madan – saw the ball curl past the right of the goalpost again.
Bahrain’s last real chance came in the 80th minute, just before Al Yahmadi scored Oman’s winner, with Al Humaidan’s rocketing left-footed kick blocked again by Mukhaini.
With desperation having set in after Oman’s goal, Bahrain tried valiantly to score the equaliser but their opponents were able to keep them at bay as the clock ticked past the 90-minute mark and the final whistle eventually blew after five additional minutes of injury time.
“It was a very balanced game which was decided by that fantastic shot,” Bahrain head coach Helio Sousa said afterwards at a Press conference. “We had our moments in the game. Sometimes, we had more possession, sometimes Oman were able to control the ball more.
“That shot made all the difference. But I am very proud of my players. What we did in this tournament was fantastic. We were fighting to win the cup and we were one of the strongest teams in the competition. That makes me very proud.”
&uuid=(email))