Ahmed Eltigani
Matchday two of the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup will
kick off tonight with two Group B fixtures at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium,
starting with a game between Oman and Bahrain, and followed by a highly
anticipated clash between 10-time Gulf Cup winners Kuwait and three-time
winners Saudi Arabia. Kuwait will be looking to recover the grandeur they once
had in the tournament and leave Doha with their eleventh trophy. Kuwait has in
the recent years suffered under FIFA suspensions, hindering their chance to win
the prestigious trophy, and wounding national footballing as a whole for the
Gulf country.
The Kuwait national
team coach Thamer Enad stated, “Everyone knows the conditions of the Kuwaiti
team because of the suspension for four years. I say that Kuwait is far from
the competition now but inevitably will return as it was in the past.”
Both nations have hosted the tournament four times, with
Kuwait having won their second Gulf Cup in their opponent's own backyard in 1972.
The two teams have also had quite the back-and-forth in their history of footballing,
with Kuwait winning 12 games, and Saudi winning 16, with 13 games ending in
draws. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are sure to be looking forward to an exhilarating
fixture tonight at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, which will take place at 20:00
Doha time, after Oman takes on Bahrain 17:00.