Manaf Younis nets winner to help Iraq edge out Oman 3-2 in Gulf Cup final
2 dead, dozens injured in stampede after thousands fans without tickets arrived to stadium
Basra: Manaf Younis scored the winner in the 122nd minute to help Iraq edge out Oman 3-2 in the 25th Gulf Cup final at Basra International Stadium in southern Iraq on Thursday.
Ibrahim Bayesh put the hosts in front in the 24th minute in the final of the Gulf Cup, held for the first time since 1979 in Iraq. Saleh Al Yahyaei converted the penalty in the dying minutes of the regulation time to equalise the scores and take the match into extra time.
The drama contiuned towards the final minutes of extra time when Amjad Attwan again put Iraq ahead in the 116th minute only see to Oman level again through Omar Al Malki three minutes later.
Manaf was in the perfect posiiton to head home a free kick in the injury time to seal a historic win for the hosts.
Earlier in the day, a stampede outside the killed at least two people and injured dozens, a health official said.
The incident happened as spectators gathered to attend the final match in the first international tournament held in the country in four decades. The Iraqi News Agency said one person was killed and 60 people who were injured outside the Basra International Stadium some of whom are in critical condition.
A doctor at Basra General Hospital told The Associated Press that two people were killed and 38 were injured, some of whom have been discharged from the hospital.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry in a statement urged people who don’t have tickets for the final match to leave the stadium area. It said that the stadium is full and all gates have been closed.
'Doing honour to Iraq'
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani had earlier chaired a meeting with key ministers and the governor of Basra to discuss "special measures for the Gulf Cup final", his office said.
The Iraqi leader headed to Basra to oversee the situation on the ground, it added.
The army called on fans to heed the instructions of security force personnel on access to the stadium so the championship could be "wrapped up in a civilised fashion that does honour to Iraq".
INA later reported that giant screens were placed in different public places in Basra so that people can watch the match.
The final match in the eight-nation Gulf Cup is scheduled to be held later on Thursday between Iraq and Oman.
The tournament started on January 6, with teams from the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — as well as Yemen and Iraq. It’s the first time since 1979 that Iraq has hosted the tournament.