Oman beat the UAE 5-4 in penalties to win Gulf Cup for second time
Oman won the Gulf Cup title for only the second time in history when they beat the UAE 5-4 via penalties in a dramatic final at the Jaber International Stadium in Kuwait yesterday.
The win was an apt reward for Oman who were the most consistent team in the 23rd edition of the prestigious regional tournament, reported Gulf Times.
The competition had been shifted to Kuwait from Qatar after its international football ban was lifted by FIFA a few weeks ago.
The victory triggered off enthusiastic celebrations in Oman where men, women and children took to the streets in the capital Muscat and other cities, waving their national flag and flashing the victory sign.
Thousands of Qataris also celebrated on Doha Corniche to express their support for Oman which had been defying pressure by Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain and standing by Qatar during the ongoing illegal blockade.
“We’re very happy for the Omani team. They showed they can beat any team in the region by winning the Gulf Cup,” said Ahmed, a 21-year-old Qatari student.
HH The Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent a cable of congratulations to HM Sultan Qaboos bin Said of the Sultanate of Oman, on the occasion of the team’s win, according to The Peninsula.
Deputy Emir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani and the Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani also sent cables of congratulations.
A deserved win
Former Asian footballer of the year Omar Abdulrahman was UAE’s villain as he missed two penalties — one in regulation time and one in the tie-breaker to hand Oman victory.
The teams adopted a conservative approach during the initial stages but it was Oman who created more chances. They went close a couple of times midway through the first half. But Fahmy Saeed and Ahmed Mubarak couldn’t make good of the opportunities as they misdirected their headers.
The UAE could have nailed the trophy a few minutes from time when they won a penalty after Ali Mabkhout was pushed from behind inside the box. But Omani goalkeeper Fayez Al Rashidi produced an excellent save to block Abdulrahman’s shot.
The extra time also failed to break the deadlock following which the match went into penalties. However, Abdulrahman again missed his penalty much to UAE’s agony and Oman’s joy.
Picture courtesy: The Peninsula
