Qatar kicked off their Arabian Gulf Cup campaign with a 2-0 win against defending champions Bahrain, securing a strong start in the tournament. The match, held at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, saw Qatar taking the lead in the 61st minute when Boualem Khoukhi headed in a goal from an Akram Afif free-kick.
Despite being reduced to 10 men in the 70th minute following Ahmed Fathi’s second yellow card, Qatar managed to hold their ground. Bahrain attempted to capitalize on the numerical advantage but failed to level the score. The match concluded in Qatar’s favor as Hassan Al Haydos scored a penalty in the ninth minute of stoppage time after being fouled in the box.
This victory places Qatar second in Group B, trailing behind the United Arab Emirates, who achieved a commanding 4-0 win over Yemen earlier the same day. As the competition progresses, Qatar is set to face Yemen in their next group match, while Bahrain will take on the UAE.