RIYADH, 20 January — Playing like champions, Oman scored a convincing 3-1 triumph over better-fancied Kuwait to move to the top of the table in the Gulf Cup soccer tournament here last night.
The sparse crowd at the King Fahd International Stadium was treated to some stirring soccer after rather uneventful first half which failed to produce any goals.
The hero of Oman’s triumph was Hani Al-Dhabit who registered the first hat trick of the current tournament to spearhead his team’s attack.
Just when the match appeared headed for a dreary goalless draw, Al-Dhabit put Oman ahead with a superb goal in the 66th minute.
Five minutes later he made it 2-0 and completed his hat trick in the injury time.
Kuwait’s lone goal was scored by Jasim Al-Huwaidi in the 80th minute.
Oman, who had lost their opening match 1-0 to UAE, move to the top of the table with three points. Second-placed Qatar and third-placed UAE also have the same points and the same goal difference but they have scored fewer goals.
In today’s matches, hosts Saudi Arabia play Bahrain and UAE take on Qatar.
