Muscat: Bahrain were crowned champions of the Gulf Cup 26 after their thrilling 2-1 victory over Oman in the final at Jaber Al Ahmad Stadium.
The match began with the kickoff in favour of the Bahrain, but Oman quickly gained control of the ball and dominated the early minutes of the game. The first chance for the Omani team came in the sixth minute when Jameel al Yahmadi delivered a precise cross from the right flank, but the Bahraini goalkeeper managed to clear it.
On the other hand, Mahdi Humaidan missed a golden opportunity for the Bahraini team in the 12th minute when he struck a high shot over the crossbar. In the 16th minute, Oman our national team earned a corner kick, which Abdulrahman al Mushaifri successfully converted into the first goal following a brilliant cross from Ali al Busaidi.
The Bahraini players then tried to impose their style and dominate possession in an effort to equalise, but the Omani defence remained solid and thwarted all attempts. In the 31st minute, Abdulrahman al Mushaifri nearly added a second goal with a shot from a low corner, but it came to nothing.
In the 33rd minute, Ali al Busaidi was awarded a free kick near the penalty area, but it was not executed as planned. The Omani team continued to control the game in the final minutes of the first half, with Al Mushaifri earning a free kick after a strong challenge from Amin Benaddi in the 41st minute.
In the 44th minute, Ali Maddad almost scored the equaliser for Bahrain after a dangerous counterattack, but luck was not on his side. The referee added three minutes of stoppage time, during which Al Mushaifri had another dangerous opportunity, but his shot went wide of the goal. The first half ended with the Oman leading 1-0.
CLEAR DETERMINATION
The Bahraini team entered the second half with clear determination to press on the Omani goal in search of an equaliser but was unable to create any significant scoring opportunities. In the 49th minute, the Omani team came close to extending their lead with a swift counterattack led by Jameel al Yahmadi, but Bahraini defender Amin Benaddi managed to clear the ball at the last moment.
The Omani team suffered a major blow in the 57th minute when defender Ahmed al Khamisi sustained an injury, forcing the coach to bring in replacement Mulham al Siniady. In the 58th minute, Mohammed Marhoon nearly scored the equaliser for Bahrain after receiving a well-placed pass from teammate Mohammed al Rumaihi, but his effort fell short.
Both teams continued to exchange opportunities until the 75th minute, which marked a turning point in the match. Bahrain was awarded a penalty after Jameel al Yahmadi's challenge on Mohammed Marhoon. Marhoon stepped up and successfully converted the penalty, levelling the score for Bahrain.
Just a few minutes later, Bahrain added a dramatic second goal. A cross from Mohammed Marhoon deflected off Omani defender Mohammed al Musallami and found its way into the net. Despite Oman's attempts to stage a comeback in the remaining minutes, the Bahraini players held on to their lead until the final whistle, securing a 2-1 victory.
Among individual awards, Bahrain's Mohammed Marhoon claimed twin honours winning the top scorer and best player awards in the tournament, while teammate Ibrahim Lutfalla won the best goalkeeper award.
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