Ahmed Eltigani
With two Group A fixtures taking place at 5:30 PM to decide which teams among them will enter the semi-finals, Group B will once again step onstage to settle their own scores at 8:00 PM. Among the two Group B games taking place, ten-time Gulf Cup champions Kuwait will be aiming to regain the strength they once had in the tournament many years prior when they take on Bahrain in the winner takes all clash at the Khalifa International Stadium.
To qualify for the semi-finals, both teams will need to secure a win in tonight’s match, meaning only one may make it into the next round. Kuwait coach Thamer Enad spoke on the clash with Bahrain in a pre-match conference: “Bahrain is a strong team, but I have confidence in the players and the ability to return to victory. We wish we can make our fans happy again after the loss against Oman.”
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia faces defending champions Oman at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium also at 8:00 PM, where another do-or-die fixture will take place to see which team between them will move onto the semi-finals. Oman, who are currently sitting at the top of Group B, are among favorites to win the tournament, as they are title-holders from the last tournament, and breezed past Kuwait last week in a brilliant 2-1 victory giving them a slight edge over Saudi, as a draw will also allow them to progress to the semis.
The Saudi team, however, is confident ahead of the matchup, coach Hervé Renard assures while also not undermining the strength of his opponent, “We do not fear any team, but we respect all teams. In the current situation, Oman is the top of our group and a draw is enough for them, and because of this, this task is not easy, and we have to play as we played against Bahrain. It is simple; we have to win,”