Road to the Gulf 24 – historical review (3-3)

The 24th Arabian Gulf Cup in Doha is coming up soon. A few days are separating us from the Gulf matches, which used to bring the people of the Gulf to a fair competition under the umbrella of the saying “our Gulf is one and our people are one”.

Gulf 17 – New Era

At the end of 2004, a new era began with the return of Iraq to the tournament, and thus the system of the championship was changed to two groups-league.
Iraq joined the tournament held in Doha in 1976 and returned to the tournament again from the Doha Gate.
The first group included Qatar, Oman, Iraq and UAE, while the second one included Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen.

Stadium: Al Sadd Stadium and Al Rayyan Stadium.
Period: 10-24 December 2004.
Matches: 15 games.
Goals: 52 goals.
Winner: Kuwait.
Top scorer: Omani Hassan Rabie (4 goals).
Player of the tournament: Saudi Majed Al Murshidi.
Best goalkeeper: Omani Ali Al Habsi.

Oman and Qatar qualified from Group A, while Kuwait and Bahrain qualified from Group B. A bitter exit was tasted by UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
The finals included the red Omani team and the Qatari team. The original and additional times ended (1-1), before Annabi renewed what they did in 1992 and won the second title at their home.

Gulf 18 – UAE raised the bride high

The 18th edition of the Gulf championship was hosted by the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. The tournament set UAE on for the third time with high ambitions.
The first group included UAE, Oman, Kuwait and Yemen, while the second included Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Stadium: Zayed Sports City, Al Jazira Stadium and Al Wahda.
Period: 17-30 January 2007.
Matches: 15 games.
Goals: 34 goals.
Winner: UAE.
Top scorer: Emirati Ismail Matar (5 goals).
Player of the tournament: Emirati Ismail Matar.
Best goalkeeper: Omani Ali Al Habsi.

Oman and UAE did not find any difficulties in qualifying in the first group, while the competition was fierce in the second group before the qualification of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the exit of Qatar and Iraq.
The final game was a pure Gulf derby between UAE and Oman, a repetition of the opening scenario. However, Ismail Matar’s shot raised the cup high for Abu Dhabi’s night to make the Omani team lose the finals two times consecutively.

Gulf 19 – The third time was the one for Oman

In the winter of 2009, it was the turn of Muscat to embrace the Gulf cup this time.
The situation changed from its predecessors in 1984 and 1996, where the nominations were in favor of the red. Thanks to its golden generation at that time.
The first group included Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq, and the second included Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Yemen.

Stadium: Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Baushar and Police Stadium.
Period: 4-17 January 2009.
Matches: 15 games.
Goals: 31 goals.
Winner: Oman.
Scorer: Omani Emad Al Hosani (4 goals).
Player of the tournament: Bahraini Talal Yousef.
Best goalkeeper: Omani Ali Al Habsi.

Oman and Kuwait qualified from Group A while Saudi Arabia and Qatar qualified from Group B.
The final was perfect. It included the red and the green, who did not concede any goal throughout the tournament.
A goalless draw dominated the scene for 120 minutes to come for penalties which this time stood next to the Omani fans who filled the stadium.

Gulf 20 – Gulf hosted by the happy Yemen

The 20th edition of the Gulf Championship was unique.
This edition was held in the south of Yemen in May 22. The first group included Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, and the second Oman, Iraq, UAE and Bahrain.

Stadium: May 22 Stadium and Al Wahda Stadium in Aden.
Period: 22 November – 5 December 2010.
Matches: 15 games.
Goals: 27 goals.
Winner: Kuwait.
Top scorer: Iraqi Alaa Abdulzahra and Kuwaiti Bader Al Mutawa (3 goals).
Player of the tournament: Kuwaiti Fahad Al Enezi.
Best goalkeeper: Kuwaiti Nawaf Al – Khalidi.

Yemen presented a historic championship and honored the Gulf, but its team made a disappointment and was deposed early after the qualifying matches between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia from Group A, and UAE and Iraq from Group B.
The semi-final was intense between Kuwait and Iraq, while United Arab Emirates faced Saudi Arabia.
The final was a classic between the neighbors Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. After a debate from both sides, Walid Ali shell made the difference in extra time to seal the tenth title in the history of Blue.

Gulf 21 – New hope for Bahrain

For the fourth time the Gulf was hosted by Manama, when it hosted Gulf 21 with a new hope for a long-awaited coronation.
The first group included Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates, and the second group included Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and Yemen.
The matches were held at the Bahrain National Stadium and Khalifa Sports City Stadium.

Stadium: Bahrain National Stadium and Khalifa Sports City Stadium.
Period: 5-18 January 2013.
Matches: 16 games.
Goals: 36 goals.
Winner: UAE.
Top scorer: Ahmed Khalil and Abdulhadi Khamis (3 goals).
Player of the tournament: Emirati Omar Abdulrahman.
Best goalkeeper: Iraqi Nour Sabri.

Bahrain was hoping that the white cup would smile to her this time and crossed into the semi-final with UAE, Kuwait and Iraq.
Bahrain met UAE and achieved the second title through a generation led by national coach Mehdi Ali.

Gulf 22 – Once again Qatar shines in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia, through King Fahd International Stadium and Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium in Al-Malaz, hosted the 22nd Gulf Championship, despite the scheduling of their stay in Basra. However, FIFA rejected this order to be held in the Saudi Arabia Kingdom for the fourth time. The first group included Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, Bahrain, and the second UAE, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait.

Stadium: King Fahd International Stadium and Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium in Malaz.
Period: 13 – 26 November 2014.
Matches: 16 games.
Goals: 33 goals.
Winner: Qatar.
Top scorer: Emirati Ali Mabkhout (5 goals).
Player of the tournament: Saudi Nawaf Al Abed.
Best goalkeeper: Qassem Burhan.

Qatar participated in the tournament calmly under the leadership of Algerian coach Jamal Belmadi and progressed quietly in the tournament, until it reached the final against the host which reminded us of the Gulf 15, but Qatar this time reversed the equation and crowned the title by the goals of Mehdi Ali and Khoki Bou Alam after Saudi Arabia proceeded by the goal of Kerry.

Gulf 23 – Omani return to the summit

Gulf 23 was held in Kuwait with exceptional circumstances. Kuwait hosted this edition at the end of December 2017. All Gulf countries participated.
The first group included Kuwait (which returned from a long international suspension), Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and the second included Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq and Yemen.

Stadium: Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium and Kuwait Club Stadium.
Period: 22 December 2017 – 5 January 2018.
Matches: 15 games.
Goals: 23 goals.
Winner: Oman.
Top scorer: Iraqi Ali Hosni, Bahraini Jamal Rashid, Iraqi Ali Fayez, Omani Saeed Al-Ruzaiqi and Qatari Al-Moez Ali (2 goals).
Player of the tournament: Omani Ahmed Mubarak Kano.
Best Goalkeeper: Emirati Khaled Issa.

It was difficult for Kuwait, as expected, to come back after years of stoppage. The team left the championship after its match against Saudi Arabia.
Oman and UAE qualified from the first group, and in the second group Iraq and Bahrain reached the semi-final.
The final scenario was a duplicate of the Gulf 18 between Oman and UAE where the Red Omani managed to achieve the second title after exciting penalties and 120 minutes of push and pull on the pitch.