KUWAIT: Oman national team player, Arshad al Alawi, won the best player award in the opening match between the national team and Kuwait. Arshad presented an outstanding performance during the match, linking the playing lines effectively, making significant efforts in both defensive and offensive aspects, and excelling in passing to his teammates. The match ended in a 1-1 draw on Saturday in the first round of Group A competitions of the 26th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup, hosted by Kuwait until January 3. Rasheed bin Jaber al Yafei, Oman national team coach, said during the press conference after the opening match: “The opening match is always difficult, especially against the home team with their fans. Our team lacked focus in the first half, but they managed to return to the game in the second half.
The results of opening matches are usually unexpected. “Our players deserved to win, especially given their noticeable superiority in the second half. Based on my analysis of the match, Oman deserved the victory. I refrained from making additional changes in the last minutes of the second half because I was satisfied with the players’ performance. They showed good technical and physical levels, which is why I used only three substitutes. “Overall, the team performed well, and we need to focus on the upcoming matches against Qatar and the UAE. Omani players are accustomed to playing in front of large crowds, and I trust in their great abilities. They lack nothing in the offensive aspect, but the final decisions in front of the goal were the deciding factor.” He added: “The benefit our team gained from the opening match is the experience of playing at a high level.
I believe we can achieve good results and advance far in the tournament.” Issam al Subhi, Oman national team player, stated: “We tried to win, but luck was not on our side. It was crucial to score the equaliser before the end of the first half. We attempted to strengthen the result with several opportunities, but we failed to find the net to secure the winning goal. “Although a draw is not a bad result, considering we faced the home team and their fans, we aim to achieve victory in the next two matches against Qatar and the Emirates. “The chances of all teams are equal, as the Gulf championships have shown us that there are no strong or weak teams,” he concluded. The public expressed dissatisfaction with the Saudi referee, Khaled al Turais, who officiated the match. Some of his decisions were met with objections from the players. For instance, before the end of the first half and during extra time, Zaher al Aghbari attempted a cross, which struck the hand of Kuwaiti player Hassan Hamdan. However, Al Turais awarded a corner kick to Oman and dismissed calls for a penalty. Oman will face Qatar on December 24, followed by the UAE on December 27. Both matches will take place at Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah Stadium, accommodating 15,000 spectators, at 6:25 pm (Oman time).
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