Saudi Arabia reach Gulf Cup semi-finals — The National

Saudi Arabia’s national team defeated Oman 3:0 in Jeddah and secured an early place in the Gulf Cup semi-finals. The tournament hosts have six points after two Group A matches: they previously beat Kuwait 1:0.

Victory over Oman

Firas Al-Buraikan scored two goals for Saudi Arabia, while Hassan Kadesh added another. In the final group-stage match, the Saudis will face Iraq on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia head coach Georgios Donis said the team performed well in the first half and pressed collectively after losing possession. At the same time, he expressed dissatisfaction with the second half, when the team suffered injuries and Oman created several chances.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Iraq snatch victory over Kuwait

Iraq beat Kuwait 3:2 in the other Group A match thanks to a stoppage-time goal by Karrar Nabil. Zidane Iqbal put Iraq ahead early in the second half, while Yousef Nasser equalised from the penalty spot. The teams then exchanged goals once more before Nabil secured victory for Iraq.

Iraq have four points, and a draw against Oman will be enough for them to reach the semi-finals. Iraq coach Graham Arnold noted his players’ concentration throughout the match and the large number of chances created by the team.

Situation in Group B

In Group B, the UAE national team are preparing for a match against Bahrain after a 4:0 win over Yemen. Emirati coach Zlatko Dalic stressed that he does not consider his team among the tournament favourites and called for focus on the upcoming game. The National reports on the progress of the matches.