Kuwait crowned the Gulf champion

HEADLINE NEWS

Published Date: December 06, 2010

ADEN: Kuwait clinched a timely morale boost ahead of January's Asian Cup with a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Cup final yesterday. The two-week tournament, which started on November 22, featured Yemen, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Oman and Qatar.

Ali guided Kuwait to the football 20th Gulf Cup of Nations in Yemen, scoring his side's 1-0 winner in a final against Saudi Arabia on extra time, after a goalless 0-0 draw in original time.

Kuwait remains the most Gulf nation to have won the illustrious regional tournament, earning their 10th title, after an absence of 12 years, with their fierce rival Saudi Arabia, and Iraq winning it three times apiece.

Ali scored his side's goal in the fourth minute of the first half of extra-time, sending Aden Stadium into raptures. The winger sticking to his position on the left, had a run on goal before passing a defender on his way to firing a shot into the top far left corner of goal.

After an intense two halves which began with Kuwaiti dominance in the first half and Saudi in the second, the two teams took the game to extra time after a 0-0 draw. The match between two of the most successful national teams in the Gulf region, was dominated by cautious play, which depended on a tough defense and several counter-attacks.

Having been down by a goal minutes into the second half of extra time, the Saudi side continued the last minutes of the match with 10 men, with striker Mohannad Asiry taking his second yellow card of the match after a desperate attempt to earn a penalty with a dramatic fall to the ground.

Handing out the awards after attending the match were Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of State for Development Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs as well as President of the Olympic Council of Asia Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

As well as winning the 20th title, Kuwaiti midfielder Bader Al-Mutawa won the golden boot award, with the award for best player in the tournament going to winger Fahad Al-Enezi and the golden glove award to Nawaf Al-Khaldi. The last Gulf Cup encounter in a final between both teams was in the 1974 tournament held in Kuwait, which ended in a 4-0 win for the hosts.