Oman U-17 end Gulf Cup journey with 2–1 win over Yemen

MUSCAT: The Oman U-17 national football team ended their journey at the Gulf Cup in Qatar with a morale-boosting 2–1 victory over Yemen at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, in the third and final round of Group A matches. In the other group fixture, Qatar defeated the UAE 2–0 at Hamad Al Kabir Stadium.
With these results, Qatar topped Group A with 9 points to advance to the semifinals as group leaders, while the UAE finished second with 6 points and also booked their place in the next stage. Oman concluded their campaign in third place with 3 points, while Yemen finished bottom without a single point.
Oman entered the match determined to wrap up their participation on a positive note, but it was Yemen who struck first. Fahd al Faqih opened the scoring in the 10th minute after a precise pass from Saqr Nasser. Yemen nearly doubled their lead in the 19th minute when Muhannad al Dhammari went one-on-one with the goalkeeper but fired wide. Yemen maintained their pressure, while Oman responded with dangerous chances, including Bashar al Shamsi’s effort that hit the post in the 41st minute, sending the teams into halftime with Yemen leading 1–0.
At the start of the second half, Oman came out with greater determination and pressed hard from the opening minutes. In the 52nd minute, Saad al Maamari won the ball in midfield, drove into the box, and unleashed a rocket strike into the net to equalise. The goal lifted the team’s spirits and sparked an intense spell of play.
Oman continued their assault, with Turki al Ghassani missing a golden chance in the 55th minute when his shot struck the post. A minute later, Bashar al Shamsi fired just wide of the right post. The relentless pressure paid off in the 61st minute, when Abdullah al Saadi pounced on a loose ball in the box and skillfully slotted it into the net to give Oman the lead.
After taking the advantage, Oman did not sit back but kept pressing. Mohammed al Jabri went close with a header that sailed over the bar in the 70th minute. Yemen tried to respond with counterattacks, but Oman’s defence and the sharp reflexes of goalkeeper Abdullah al Zaabi preserved the 2–1 victory until the final whistle, securing a deserved win.
ANTICIPATED SEMIFINALS
The semifinals will be played next Tuesday. Qatar, the Group A leaders, will face Saudi Arabia, leaders of Group B, at Hamad Al Kabir Stadium at 7:00 pm Muscat time. In the later fixture, Iraq, the runners-up of Group B, will take on the UAE at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium at 9:30 pm.