Sport | Football
Oman face Saudi Arabia in dream final
Hosts Oman will face Saudi Arabia tomorrow in a dream final of the 19th Gulf Cup that pits the tournament's best two teams against each other.
- By Yasir Abbasher, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:51 January 15, 2009
Muscat: Hosts Oman will face Saudi Arabia tomorrow in a dream final of the 19th Gulf Cup that pits the tournament's best two teams against each other.
Oman defeated Qatar and the Saudis beat Kuwait, each by a single goal, in their respective semifinal matches on Wednesday.
The final is the third consecutive one for the Omanis. They have never won the title.
Both teams have the best records in the competition. Oman have scored eight goals in four matches and conceded none. Their striker Hassan Rabie leads the top scorers with four goals, which is more than what was scored by either Qatar or Kuwait teams in four matches.
The Saudis have scored ten goals and conceded none.
The final tomorrow will not only be between the two teams to win the title but will also be between Ali Al Habsi, the custodian of Oman and Bolton Wanderers, and Waleed Abdullah, the Saudi custodian.
Both have kept a clean sheet since the opening of the tournament and will hope to equal the record of former Kuwaiti goalkeeper Ahmad Al Trabulsi, who kept a clean sheet in all five matches in the 3rd Gulf Cup played in Kuwait in 1976.
He helped his country win its third title in as many tournaments.
"I am not concerned with the personal title. I want help my country win the Gulf Cup title for the first time," Al Habsi told Gulf News yesterday.
"We are happy to reach the final but we feel the task is not yet complete.
"The most important and crucial part is our next match because we have to win to achieve success.c Losing the finals will result in nothing because finishing second is just like finishing last.
"Winning the Gulf Cup title is what really matters." Al Habsi added.
The final promises to be a tough battle for both teams.
Both line-ups feature a large number of highly gifted and experienced players, who are capable of dominating the encounter. They include the likes of Emad Al Hosani, Hassan Rabie, Badr Al Maymani and Fawzi Basheer in Oman and Yasir Al Qahtani, Malek Mouaz, Ahmad Al Faridi and Taiseer Al Jasim of Saudi Arabia.
The match is sure to thrill thousands of fans, who will pack the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. Backed by a vociferous home crowd, Oman might just have the additional advantage to win their first ever Gulf Cup.
Oman's Imad Ali al-Hosni (R) vies for the ball with Qatar's Mussa Haroun (L) and Mesaad al-Hamad (C) during their 19th Gulf Cup semi-final football match in Muscat on January 14, 2009. AFP PHOTO/MOHAMMED MAHJOUB
More from Football
More from Sport
Multimedia
Sport Editor's choice
-
Iran favourites to win Futsal crown
Japan have shown potential to challenge defending champions
-
UAE coach in pledge to improve fitness
Fitness will be a key area of improvement for UAE rugby coach
-
Champions and owner party all night
Shah Rukh Khan and Kolkata Knight Riders players celebrated in dressing room, hotel
