Doha: Qatar’s youth team is entering the field today with the dream of entering the semi-finals of the Arabian Gulf Cup. After defeating Kuwait by two unanswered goals in the first match, Qatar lost to defending champions Bahrain by two goals to one in the second match of Group ‘B’. With that, the Annabis will come to the field hoping to win the last group match against the UAE on Friday to advance from the four-team group.
The top two finishers from the group will make it to the last four. Having won both the matches played, Bahrain is now at the first position in Group ‘B’ with six points. Bahrain semis almost confirmed. Qatar is second with three points. Kuwait also has three points after beating UAE. Qatar is ahead in goal average. Having lost both the matches, it has been confirmed that the UAE will not see the semi-finals. The Qatari team, led by interim coach Bruno Pineiro, will be hoping to subdue the UAE, who are playing in lackluster form in the tournament.
Another crucial match in the group is between Bahrain and Kuwait today. If Bahrain beats Kuwait, Qatar will reach the semi-finals even if they draw against the UAE. However, if Qatar loses and Kuwait draws or wins, Kuwait will enter the SEMA. In Group A, Iraq and Oman have four points each. All three for Saudi Arabia. Yemen lost both games and was eliminated without seeing the semis.
After the setback in the World Cup, if they reach the semi-finals in the Gulf Cup with the youth team, it will be a relief for Qatar football. Qatar, which has given rest to its leading players, is fielding a team with a preference for young players in the Gulf Cup. In the first game, the youth team defeated Kuwait by two unanswered goals and were confident. They also started with confidence against Bahrain. It was a promising start against strong opposition, but two defensive lapses led to a surprise defeat. Qatar lost after taking the lead in the 32nd minute with Ahmad Alauddin’s goal.