Oman stormed into the final of the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup edging Bahrain 1-0 in the second semifinal at the Al Minaa Olympic Stadium in Iraq on Monday night.
Oman will take on hosts Iraq, who beat Qatar 2-1 in the first semifinal earlier, in the final on January 19.
The moment for Oman came in the 83rd minute when Jameel al Yahmadi smashed a powerful shot to the top right corner of Bahrain from outside the penalty box after a nice assist by Salah al Yahyaei.
Bahrain earned the first corner of the match in the seventh minute and got another one in the next minute.
Zahir al Aghbari gave a dangerous cross for Oman with nobody to connect in the ninth minute as Oman made their first move.
In the next minute, Oman missed a close chance as Issam al Subhi’s shot was blocked by the Bahrain defence for a corner after a good pass by Salah al Yahyaei.
Jameel al Yahmadi headed the resultant corner towards goal but straight to Bahrain goalkeeper.
In the 22nd minute, Oman goalkeeper Ibrahim al Mukhaini saved a left-footed shot from Bahrain’s Mahdi al Humaidan on the left side of the box after an assist by Jassim al Shaikh.
Bahrain advanced in the 33rd minute with Ali Madan’s left-footer blocked by the Omani defence after a headed pass by Abdulla Yusuf Helal.
In the second-half, Oman captain Mohammed al Musallami cleared a Bahrain move conceding a corner in the 53rd minute.
In the 54th minute, Bahrain’s Abdulla Yusuf Helal gave a through ball, but Ali Madan was caught offside.
KEEN TUSSLE
Oman made an attempt in the 61st minute with Zahir al Aghbari’s right-footed shot going straight to Bahrain goalkeeper Sayed Jaafar.
In the next minute, Jameel al Yahmadi’s shot from the centre of the box missed to the right after a cross from Zahir al Aghbari.
Bahrain coach Helio Filipe brought in Komail al Aswad in place of Abdulwahab al Malood in the 63rd minute.
In the 78th minute, Ali Madan’s right-footed shot from outside the box missed the target for Bahrain. Oman had threatened the Bahrain defence earlier but none of the Omani forwards could not manage a touch to a dangerous cross by Al Mundhir al Alawi.
Jameel al Yahmadi struck home in the 83rd minute to put Oman in front.
In the 88th minute, Bahrain’s Amine Benaddi’s header from the centre of the box missed the target to the left after a headed pass by Abdulla Yusuf Helal.
After a goalmouth tussle at the Omani box involving goalkeeper Ibrahim al Mukhaini coach Branko Ivankovic made a double change.
Khalid al Braiki replaced Zahir al Aghbari while Arshad al Alawi came in for Al Mundhir.
In the additional time, Bahrain made a last-ditch effort through Abdulla Yusuf Helal but the Omani defence blocked the shot.
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