8 nations set to battle it out at 25th Arabian Gulf Cup

Basra International Stadium, also known as the Palm Trunk stadium, which hosts the opening ceremony of the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup football championship in Iraq's southern city of Basra.(AFP)
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Updated 06 January 2023
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8 nations set to battle it out at 25th Arabian Gulf Cup

  • Saudi Arabia bringing youthful squad to Basra, hosts Iraq looking for success on and off pitch, and Qatar aiming to put World Cup disappointment behind them

BASRA: Memories of the Qatar World Cup are still very fresh in our minds but, for football fans in the Gulf region at least, it is time to move on as there is another international tournament to be played.

The 25th Arabian Gulf Cup kicks off in Iraq on Friday, with eight national teams competing for the title.

The games will be played at two venues: Basra International Stadium and Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium. The action will begin with the host nation taking on Oman on Jan. 6 and end with final on Jan. 19.

Here are eight talking points, one for each of the competing nations, ahead of the big kick-off.

Group A

Saad Al-Shehri and his young Saudi stars can work their magic again

With the Saudi Professional League pausing for two months so the Green Falcons could prepare for and then compete at the World Cup — sensationally defeating eventual champions Argentina in their second group match — it was always unlikely there would be another break so soon so that clubs could again release their star players.

This might make it less likely that the Kingdom will pick up its first title win since 2004, especially given other teams have named more experienced squads. However, it will give younger and fringe Saudi players a chance to shine.

Turki Al-Ammar, the 2018 Young Asian Footballer of the Year and one of the few squad members previously capped at senior level, had a starring role when the U-23 Saudi squad won the Asian Championships and has the chance to impress once more.

With the coach of that U-23 team, Saad Al-Shehri, taking charge of the senior team during this competition, and looking to cement his growing reputation, the young Saudis will get the tests they need to help them grow when they face Yemen, Oman and hosts Iraq.

Iraq need stability on and off the pitch

Last year was a disappointing one for the Iraqis as they struggled in the final round of World Cup qualification, and a string of coaches have come and gone. Now, though, they have a chance to begin 2023 in style, on and off the pitch.

The first, and until now only, time the country hosted the Gulf Cup was 1979 and their most recent tournament win came nine years later. As this year’s hosts, success off the pitch is as important to Iraq as success on it and both could give football a boost in the country.

With Basra staging the games, and new Spanish coach Jesus Casas calling on players with proven talent and plenty of experience, the expectations are high.

The likes of Hussein Ali, Dhurgam Ismail, Amjad Attwad and Gothenburg midfielder Amir Al-Ammari have what it takes to lead Iraq to the latter stages and deliver some much-needed good news for fans.

Oman can show they belong among region’s top dogs

After Saudi Arabia, Oman were the best-performing Arab team in the final stages of the road to Qatar. They finished just a point behind Australia, who narrowly lost to champions Argentina in the second round of the World Cup.

Had the Reds been in the other group at the Gulf Cup last time, they might well have gone all the way. Now they are in Group A, Branko Ivankovic’s men are among the favorites, not least because they won the tournament the time before last.

Like his counterpart in charge of Iraq, the wily Croatian coach has named a strong, experienced squad, and there is no better time to show that Oman’s results during the World Cup qualifiers were no fluke.

Energetic Yemen look for their first-ever win

The Eagles are preparing for their 10th appearance at the Gulf Cup still in search of their first-ever victory in the competition. It will not be easy for a team that has not played a game since the first half of 2022.

Proper preparations are also difficult in a country that has been devastated by war for years. A training camp in Saudi Arabia has helped their situation and the squad has also spent time in Egypt.

Coach Miroslav Soukup has spent years in the region and is now in his second spell in charge of Yemen. He has gone for the power of youth, with half of the squad 25 or under, so it should be a great experience for the players — and if they can get that elusive win, so much the better.

Group B

Qatar need to start new era on a high

Everyone is aware that the World Cup was a disaster for the host nation, with three defeats in three games. There was a feeling that coach Felix Sanchez had perhaps kept faith too long with the team that won the 2019 Asian Cup, and there was a general expectation that the Spaniard would not be kept on when his contract expired at the end of 2022 — and so it was to be.

The pressure at the World Cup was all too much for Qatar but now, temporarily at least, the man with the responsibility for bouncing back is Portuguese tactician Bruno Pinheiro. He is without the services of such stalwarts as Hassan Al-Haydos, Akram Afif and Almoez Ali, among several others. This leaves opportunities for new blood to restore some pride to Qatari football.

UAE sets off on the road to 2026

The UAE had to watch the World Cup in Qatar, with all its surprises and shocks, from the sidelines in the knowledge that they could have been there, had they not narrowly lost in the play-offs to Australia.

While it is certainly true that they could have been there, whether or not they should is a different matter because, in truth, they were poor throughout the qualification campaign.

Now coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena has had a little time to work with his team, there is a need for a long-term vision, given that more than eight Asian teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The likes of Ali Mabkhout and Omar Abdulrahman, stars of the so-called Emirati “golden generation” of the previous decade, are out but there is still ample talent to be found in the squad.

Group B is shaping up to be competitive but winnable — and with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and even Oman eclipsing the UAE on the pitch in recent years, there is some pressure on the Emiratis to succeed in Basra. Ultimately, though, a first World Cup appearance since 1990 remains the main prize they seek.

Kuwait must bounce back from poor year

Kuwait have won 10 out of the previous 24 Gulf Cups but in recent years this former powerhouse of football in Asia — the whole continent, not just the west — have fallen behind teams they used to routinely defeat.

The failure to qualify for the World Cup was expected but not making the 2023 Asian Cup was really disappointing, in particular their loss at home to a young Indonesian team.

That led to Rui Bento taking the reins, which means there are three Portuguese coaches in charge of teams in Group B.

There will be no Bader Al-Mutawa — the 37-year-old talisman who is the most-capped international player in history with 196 caps (a total matched by Cristiano Ronaldo during the World Cup) — and so the Blues need to move on from his era but are still looking for a new identity.

Bento has gone for youth in his squad and there is a sense that this is the beginning of a new journey for Kuwait.

Reigning champs Bahrain look to defend their title

Bahrain might not have the glittering football history of Kuwait but they do arrive in Iraq as defending champions. Their 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the 2019 final will never be forgotten — and it should also be remembered that they reached the last 16 of the Asian Cup that same year, when they were narrowly defeated by South Korea. After a disappointing spell, things were looking up for them.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and all that momentum was lost. Coach Helio Sousa has been in charge for almost four years and, despite a disappointing World Cup qualification campaign, the team is settled, full of experience and more inventive on the ball than many of their neighbors.

After showing on previous occasions that they are capable of upsetting bigger nations at this tournament, Bahrain cannot be counted out this time around.


Odegaard inspires Arsenal to reignite title hopes

Updated 33 sec ago
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Odegaard inspires Arsenal to reignite title hopes

Victory at the Emirates lifts them to 22 points, level with third-placed Chelsea
Captain Odegaard was making his first appearance at the Emirates since late August and showed what a huge miss he was for Arsenal

LONDON: Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal team “flows in a different way” when Martin Odegaard is playing after the Gunners crushed Nottingham Forest 3-0 on Saturday to end their winless run.
Stunning strikes from Bukayo Saka and Thomas Partey and a first Premier League goal for teenager Ethan Nwaneri gave Arsenal a first victory in five league games, reigniting their title challenge.
Arsenal, Premier League runners-up for the past two seasons, started the campaign strongly but their form dipped and they kicked off on Saturday nine points behind leaders Liverpool.
Victory at the Emirates lifts them to 22 points, level with third-placed Chelsea.
Arsenal took the lead in the 15th minute when Saka exchanged passes with Odegaard on the edge of the area before lashing a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.
Captain Odegaard was making his first appearance at the Emirates since late August and showed what a huge miss he was for Arsenal during his two-month injury absence.
Time and again the Norwegian found space in the penalty area with his quick feet and he teed up Gabriel Jesus, who curled narrowly wide, before linking up with Saka again.
Partey doubled Arsenal’s lead early in the second half after collecting Saka’s pass 20 yards out and taking a touch, before curling his shot away from the dive of Matz Sels and inside the far post.
Seventeen-year-old Nwaneri tucked away Raheem Sterling’s cutback to wrap up an emphatic win in the 86th minute.
“I think we started really well,” Arteta told the BBC. “The sense I was getting in the last 48 hours after the international break, the boys coming together and were all at it.”
Speaking about Odegaard, who returned to action at Inter Milan earlier this month, he said: “It’s not a coincidence. The team flows in a different way when he is playing.”
And he also had warm words for Nwaneri.
“He is the second-youngest (Premier League goalscorer) in our history,” Arteta said. “That’s a story in itself.
“He’s brave. You see the reaction of fans and they were singing ‘He’s one of our own’. I think we have to put brick by brick and make sure the cement doesn’t get dry. Hopefully we can build a beautiful thing with him.”

Riyadh retains Chestertons polo title in Dubai

Updated 40 min 46 sec ago
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Riyadh retains Chestertons polo title in Dubai

  • Saudi team secures 6-5 victory over Egyptian opponents in final match

DUBAI: The Riyadh polo team have successfully defended their title as Chestertons MENA Polo in the Park champions for a second year after defeating their Cairo rivals in Dubai on Saturday.
The Saudi team secured a 6-5 victory over their Egyptian opponents in the final match, which was held at Dubai’s Desert Palm Polo Club.
Amr Zidan, chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation, awarded the championship trophy to Khalid Al-Omran, the Riyadh team captain.
Representing Riyadh alongside Al-Omran were Rayan Al-Ajaji, and professional players Santos Iriarte (Argentina) and Guillermo Li (Peru).
The tournament featured four teams: Riyadh, Cairo, London, and Dubai.
It was the second Chestersons Polo in the Park event to be held in the Middle East after having been held in London for over a decade.


Andy Murray to coach Novak Djokovic

Updated 23 November 2024
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Andy Murray to coach Novak Djokovic

  • “I’m thrilled to have one of my biggest rivals on the same side of the net with me, this time as my coach,” Djokovic said
  • Murray said: “I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change”

BELGRADE: Novak Djokovic announced on Saturday that his retired long-time rival Andy Murray is joining the 24-time Grand Slam-winning player’s coaching team, starting at the Australian Open in January.
“I’m thrilled to have one of my biggest rivals on the same side of the net with me, this time as my coach. I look forward to starting the season with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne, where we’ve shared many exceptional moments throughout our careers,” Djokovic said in a statement.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion who retired from competitive tennis in August, said: “I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change.
“I’m also grateful for the opportunity to help him achieve his goals for the upcoming year.”

Djokovic posted a video on X of him and Murray during the Scotsman’s playing career, jokingly titled: “He never liked retirement anyway.”
The 37-year-old Serb has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, defeating Murray in four finals.
Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam in 2024 and has slipped to seventh in the world, although he did land the Olympic singles title in Paris.


Leipzig lose ground on Bayern, Dortmund and Leverkusen win

Updated 23 November 2024
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Leipzig lose ground on Bayern, Dortmund and Leverkusen win

  • Hoffenheim came from a goal down to equalize three times and hit the lead with four minutes remaining on a wild debut for new manager Christian Ilzer
  • In Dortmund, the home side won 4-0 over Freiburg thanks to goals from Maximilian Beier, Felix Nmecha, Julian Brandt and Jamie Gittens

DORTMUND: RB Leipzig continued to lose ground on Bundesliga league leaders Bayern Munich with a 4-3 defeat at lowly Hoffenheim on Saturday, while Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen registered big wins.
Hoffenheim came from a goal down to equalize three times and hit the lead with four minutes remaining on a wild debut for new manager Christian Ilzer.
Hoffenheim’s Adam Hlozek collected a brace while Tom Bischof scored a clever free kick and Jakob Bruun Larsen was responsible for the winner in the 86th minute.
Leipzig’s efforts came through Willi Orban, Antonio Nusa and an own goal from Hoffenheim’s Stanley Nsoki.
Equal on points with Bayern just three matchdays ago, Leipzig have lost two and drawn one and now sit eight behind the league leaders.
Leipzig had only conceded five goals in the league season before Saturday’s outing.
Eintracht Frankfurt can leapfrog Leipzig into second place and close the gap on Bayern to six points when they host Werder Bremen later on Saturday.
In Dortmund, the home side won 4-0 over Freiburg thanks to goals from Maximilian Beier, Felix Nmecha, Julian Brandt and Jamie Gittens, while the visitors finished with nine men.
Under fire and sitting outside the European placings coming into the match, Dortmund’s one saving grace this league campaign has been their home form, with five wins from five.
The hosts got on track early, when Beier, who scored a double for Germany’s under-21s against France this week, opening the scoring seven minutes in.
Midfielder Nmecha, who scored for Germany’s senior side in their 1-1 draw in Hungary midweek, added a second with a superb long-range effort on the 40th-minute mark.
Freiburg’s hopes of a comeback were snuffed out after 63 minutes when Patrick Osterhage picked up a second yellow card for a rough tussle with Marcel Sabitzer.
From the ensuing free kick, Dortmund’s Brandt curled the ball home and England winger Gittens curled in a fourth to seal the match with 13 minutes remaining.
Freiburg’s Junior Adamu saw straight red for striking Dortmund’s Waldemar Anton in stoppage time, reducing his side to nine men.
Dortmund have now won their past six against Freiburg, scoring 24 and conceding five.
Defending champions Leverkusen came from two goals down to win 5-2 at home against Heidenheim thanks to a hat-trick from Patrick Schick.
Heidenheim, who host Chelsea in the Conference League on Thursday, were two goals up within 21 minutes, with Niklas Dorsch and Mathias Honsak taking advantage of some sleepy defense.
World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios pulled one back on the half-hour mark before Schick, in for the injured Victor Boniface, scored three unanswered goals to wrestle back control of the match before Granit Xhaka added a fifth with eight minutes remaining.
Last season’s runners-up Stuttgart scored two second-half goals through Chris Fuehrich and Justin Diehl to win 2-0 at home over last-placed Bochum, who have just one point from 11 games this season.
Elsewhere, Wolfsburg’s Ridle Baku scored the only goal as his side defeated Union Berlin 1-0 at home.


Abdullah Al-Qahtani hopes for Saudi fans’ support in his PFL journey

Updated 23 November 2024
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Abdullah Al-Qahtani hopes for Saudi fans’ support in his PFL journey

  • Al-Qahtani gets shot at featherweight title after Egyptian fighter Islam Reda’s injury
  • To win belt, he must overcome the man who beat him in September’s semifinal

RIYADH:  With just days to go before his PFL MENA Featherweight Championship bout on Nov. 29, Saudi mixed martial arts fighter Abdullah Al-Qahtani is hoping his fans’ support will spur him on to victory in Riyadh.

Al-Qahtani said: “Fighting on home soil with the Saudi crowd behind me will be a strong support as I aim to secure the belt. We’ve set the right plans for the final.”

Al-Qahtani will face Jordan’s Abdullah ‘The Cobra’ Alhyasat, the man who defeated him in September’s semifinal. An injury to the other semifinal winner — Egypt’s Islam Reda — gave Al-Qahtani another shot at beating Alhyasat.

The 27-year-old Saudi, whose record currently stands at nine wins and two losses, said he is not disheartened by that semifinal failure.

“Abdelrahman has five victories in his professional career and won the semifinal by unanimous decision. This hasn’t put pressure on me or affected my morale,” Al-Qahtani said. “Since replacing Islam Reda, I’ve been training intensively to prepare … to give my best, avenge the semifinal loss, and claim the title. Together with my coaching team, I’ve analyzed the mistakes I made in the semifinal and focused on the positive aspects of my performance. God willing, (I) will be the one to crack Alhyasat’s code, win, and bring joy to the Saudi audience.”

Alhyasat insisted he is unfazed by the prospect of a partisan crowd supporting Al-Qahtani.

“I would have preferred to face a different fighter in the final, but I’m comfortable with this matchup; it will be as easy as the semifinal,” he said. “Fighting on his home turf won’t be a source of stress for me. I will repeat my victory over Al-Qahtani.

“I expect Al-Qahtani to change his fighting style for the final. That’s why, during my training camp in Thailand, we studied all possibilities (so I can) adapt to the flow of the fight,” he continued.

The showdown is just one bout on a night that also includes the PFL World Championships, which are being held outside of the US for the first time, at King Saud University in Riyadh.

Headlining is the unbeaten Russian fighter, Timur “Imam” Khizriev, who takes on the UK’s Brendan Loughnane for the World Featherweight Championship.

In the Women’s Flyweight Championship co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva will put her 13-0 record on the line when the English-Bulgarian MMA and former Muay Thai fighter goes head-to-head with Brazil’s Taila Santos.

In addition to the championship fights, the undefeated Saudi Arabian PFL star Hattan Alsaif – who made history when she became the first Saudi female to sign a contract with a major MMA promoter — takes on Algeria’s Lilia Osmani.