Manama: Abdul Khudair bagged a hat-trick and Badr Al Mutawa scored one and made four assists to help Kuwait trounce ten-man Bahrain 6-1 in the Gulf Cup third-place play-off at Riffa’s National Stadium yesterday.
Other goals came from Abdul Rahman Al Shammari and Abdul Aziz Al Saleemi as hosts Bahrain bowed out of their own tournament in undignified fashion, despite an early opener from Abdullah Yousuf.
Yousuf put Bahrain in front inside the first minute after slotting home Hussain Salman’s midfield chip beyond the advancing goalkeeper Hameed Yousuf.
Kuwait’s Khudair then scored a quick double within two minutes just after half an hour. He first struck Al Mutawa’s long ball past Abbas Ahmad from the right, then he followed up another chip forward, headed down by Al Mutawa to beat Abbas on the left-hand side of the area.
Bahrain keeper Ahmad was sent off just after the interval, after a foul on Al Mutawa and Khudair duly completed his hat-trick from the spot, firing low into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. Ten-man Bahrain then had to substitute Salman for reserve keeper Mahmoud Al Ajmi.
Kuwait’s own goalkeeper Yousuf then saved his team three times in quick succession before the hour, tipping Sami Mohammad’s shot wide, parrying his effort from the subsequent corner and stooping low to collect the follow-up.
But the Blues responded with a one-minute double, Al Shammari heading in Amer Al Fadhl’s right-wing cross before Al Motawaa fired home into the top right-hand corner of the net from just outside the area. Al Mutawa then crossed from the right for Al Saleemi to head home the sixth goal on 70 minutes.
