Qatar players acknowledge the crowd after defeating Kuwait in their opening match of the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup in Basra, on Saturday. Pictures: Osama Abdullah Alrosan
Doha: Coach Bruno Pinheiro is content after new-look Qatar started their campaign at the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup on a winning note, saying the victory over Kuwait will leave a good impact on youngsters in rest of the tournament.
The Asian champions defeated Kuwait 2-0 after first half goals on Saturday at Al Minaa Olympic Stadium in Basra to take top spot in Group B, ahead of defending champions Bahrain who defeated the UAE 2-1 in their opening match.
Pinheiro, who temporarily took charge of the national team to replace Felix Sanchez ahead of the Gulf Cup, is leading the Qatari side which comprises mostly the youngsters with senior players being rested.
After a slow start in opener, Qatar gained control against the 10-time champions with debutant Amro Siraj scoring the first goal before Ahmed Alaaeldin converted a penalty. Also making Qatar debut in the match was Tamim Mansoor, son of Qatar and Al Rayyan legend Mansour Muftah.
Qatar coach said the win has boosted confidence of players particularly the youngsters.
“The victory is important for these players, some of whom are participating in the Gulf Cup for the first time. Players need such strong competitions to gain experience. They should be happy to win but must not stop bringing improvement to develop,” said Pinheiro.
The Portuguese coach added the team is now focusing on tomorrow’s match against Bahrain.
“We know the value of this tournament and we will continue the hardwork. Our next test is Bahrain match and we look to bag full points from it,” he said.
Kuwait enjoyed a strong start against Qatar before they conceded the goals, leaving coach Rui Bento ruing missed opportunities.
“We took control in the start and we created chances especially in the second half but we couldn’t score,” said Bento.
“If the team can create opportunities, it can score. In a big way, Qatar won but luck helped them a lot in the first goal,” the Kuwait coach added.
Kuwait will play their second match against the UAE and Bento said it is a must-win game for his side.
“The next match will be finals for us. We have to forget the previous result and work to avoid mistakes, as there is no room for any error,” he said.
Saudi Arabia, Iraq to clash today
Following a day’s break, action resumes in Basra today with two Group A games including a clash between favourites Saudi Arabia and hosts Iraq which will begin at 7:15pm at Basra International Stadium.
The Falcons, who defeated Yemen 2-0, are leading the group while the Lions of Mesopotamia played out a goalless draw against Oman in the tournament opener on Friday.
Saudi Arabia’s assistant coach Ahmed Al Ruwaiei said Iraq will pose a difficult challenge against his side.
“It will be a tough match against the home side but we are completely ready for the match. Our goal here is to win the title and we are taking one game at a time by reading our upcoming opponents,” he added.
Iraq coach Jesus Casas called for pace among his ranks ahead of the match against Saudi Arabia.
“We did not win [against Oman] but I am satisfied with team’s performance. There were some negatives like slow pace and we are working on them to bring improvement. I trust my players but to win the title we will have to work hard,” he said.
“We will look to be more aggressive against Saudi Arabia than we were in Oman match. We will do our best to make home fans happy,” he added.
In today’s first Group A match, Oman and Yemen will square off at the same venue with kick off set for 4:15pm.
