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JEDDAH: The 27th Arabian Gulf Cup kicked off in Jeddah on Wednesday \u2014 coincidentally the 96th Saudi National Day \u2014 as Iraq and Oman faced off at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium, ahead of a clash between group rivals Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.<\/p>\n
The game was a rerun of the 2023 final, from which the Iraqis emerged as champions thanks to a 3-2 extra-time win, and it only took six minutes for Iraq to open the scoring, after Zaid Ismail won possession from the Omani defense and drove toward the byline. His cross toward Aymen Hussein was cut off, but Hussein was able to capitalize on the rebound and laid the ball off to Mohammed Qasim, who delivered a thundering finish into the near corner.<\/p>\n
Oman\u2019s 4-4-2 formation under head coach Tarik Sektioui, who led his native Morocco to FIFA Arab Cup glory last year, struggled to produce any meaningful attacking threat in response. Although their shape prevented Iraq from truly threatening to stretch the lead, Oman were largely ponderous and failed to register a single shot on target until the 67th minute.<\/p>\n
At that point, however, after a wing-switch between Nasser Al-Rawahi and Jameel Al-Yahmadi, the former latched onto a lobbed pass from left-back Ahmed Al-Kaabi, cut inside defender Mohammed Delawer and launched the ball over Ahmed Basil into the back of the net to level the scores.<\/p>\n
Iraq came close to claiming all three points in the closing minutes when Hussein met a dipping cross from substitute Ali Jasim with a header that flew narrowly past goalkeeper Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini\u2019s post.<\/p>\n
But in the end, neither side could find a winner and the points were shared in a result that leaves both teams with work to do if they hope to repeat their 2023 successes in the competition.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Iraq will face Kuwait, before Oman take on hosts Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n