Riyadh: Two goals from Ali Assadalla fired Qatar through to Wednesday’s Gulf Cup final with a 3-1 win over Oman in the first semi-final at the King Fahd International Stadium here on Sunday.
Raed Saleh put the sultanate ahead on 24 minutes but the Maroons equalised on the half hour before second-half substitute Assadalla tapped in two rebounds off the post on the hour and on 67 minutes.
Qatar’s Meshaal Abdullah swung at two early crosses in front of goal before Esmail Mohammad’s cross to Hassan Khaled was palmed wide by Ali Al Habsi.
But it was Oman who took the lead when Saleh volleyed in at the back post after Ali Al Busaidi’s free kick was headed on by Qatar’s Abdullah.
The sultanate could have added a second on the half hour when Mohammad Al Seyabi played Abdul Aziz Al Muqbali through on goal, but the latter chipped over from six yards.
Qatar’s Khaled then equalised from the spot on 36 minutes when Abdullah was brought down in the box by Al Habsi, to go in all square at the break.
Esmail Mohammad immediately ran onto a long ball and scored for Qatar after the interval but it was ruled offside.
Qatar went ahead soon after anyway. Just before the hour Mohammad’s effort came back off the post for Assadalla to follow-up for a tap in.
Abdullah then ran onto to a long ball, rounded an advancing Al Habsi and struck the post before Assadalla again cleared up for the third on 67 minutes.
Qatar have previously won the Gulf Cup twice in 1992 and 2004 and have finished runners-up four-times.
