JEDDAH, 15 December 2004 — Facing a must-win game, Saudi Arabia delivered with a 2-0 victory over Yemen yesterday and put themselves back in contention in the 17th Gulf Cup Soccer Championship in Doha.
The Kingdom’s chances of qualifying for the semifinals were also helped along by the 1-1 draw between Kuwait and Bahrain in the first match of the day. With three points from three matches Saudi Arabia looked assured of one of two qualifying spots in Group A which Kuwait leading with four points.
Saudi Arabia only need a draw against Bahrain next Friday in their next match to join Kuwait as Group A semifinalists.
Bahrain have two points from two matches and Yemen one point.
Saudi Arabia were keen to redeem themselves after their defeat by Kuwait last Saturday and pushed forward from the first minute trying to score an early goal.
The Saudis’ first goal did not come until the 33rd minute when Marzooq Al-Otaibi headed in a nice from Ibraheem Suwaeed, the ball finding the back of the net.
Marzooq and Yasir Al-Qahtani both wasted chances to score for the Kingdom whose second goal came in the 47th minute on a penalty kick by Ibraheem Suwaieed.
Earlier, Kuwait drew first blood in the 15th minute from a nice header by Muhammad Jazaa after he received a nice cross from Bader Al-Mutawa. Bahrain, stunned by the early goal, pushed harder to score the equalizer in the first half. The Bahraini team took advantage when Kuwait’s Nawaf Al-Mutari was sent off with two yellow cards. Bahrain got in the equalizer just before the final whistle to end the first half in the 45th minute when Hussein Ali made a fierce shot inside the penalty box. With Kuwait down by one man, Bahrain failed to convert despite the many opportunities in the second half.
Meantime, in Prince Faisal ibn Fahd Championship Under-23 Tournament, Al-Ittifaq and Al-Ahli qualified from groups A and C. Ittifaq qualified despite the loss against Shabab 3-1 after gathering 9 points. Ahli also qualified after winning against Qadisiya in Dammam 2-0 and jumped to first with 9 points.
Late Bouba Diop Strike Gets Fulham Off the Hook
In London, a late equalizer from Pape Bouba Diop gave Fulham a 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United on Monday and prevented Alex Ferguson’s team from moving back into to the thick of the Premier League title race, agencies add.
United looked set for a fifth straight league win courtesy of a first-half Alan Smith goal when Bouba Diop sent a fierce strike curving past a diving Roy Carroll and just inside the post in the 87th minute.
United remain in fourth place on 31 points, four behind champions Arsenal and nine behind leaders Chelsea, after the two London clubs drew 2-2 on Sunday.
“It was an absolute giveaway,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports. “In fairness it was a fantastic strike but the result has destroyed a really good performance.
“On another day we could have scored five or maybe six. What makes it so bad is that both our main rivals dropped points.” Everton are in second place, five points ahead of United, after winning the 200th Merseyside derby 1-0 on Saturday. Fulham move above Birmingham into 14th. “The first 45 minutes we were standing off them and they were creating chances,” said Fulham coach Chris Coleman.
“We dug in there though and once they didn’t get a second goal they got a bit nervous and we grew in confidence and it was a fantastic strike that got us the point.”
Played on a crisp London night, the game took time to warm up with Fulham sitting back and United looking to exert some control on the match. The match came to life when a Roy Keane drive found one Fulham post around the half hour mark and two minutes later Wayne Rooney went through on goal before hitting the other upright.
The United fans did not have to wait long for the breakthrough and it came when Cristiano Ronaldo escaped down the right and found Alan Smith in the penalty area after 33 minutes.
The England striker’s first shot was blocked but he scurried back to retrieve the ball with a determined tackle on Sylvain Legwinski, before turning to shoot under Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
United had the better of the remainder of the half and, with Fulham’s usual driving force Steed Malbranque having a poor game, it looked like being a relatively easy night for the visitors. But Fulham came out firing after the break and former United striker Andy Cole brushed off the attentions of Rio Ferdinand to fire a shot against the woodwork.
Fulham showed no less endeavour and fight for the remainder of the half but failed to create any real openings and when Cole back-headed the ball wide with six minutes to go it looked like their efforts would go unrewarded.
However, with three minutes left Bouba Diop, the man put Senegal on the soccer map when he scored the winner against France in the 2002 World Cup, stepped up to fire home his spectacular equalizer.
Strong German Team and an Angry Kahn Arrive in Asia
The German national team touched down in Tokyo yesterday ahead of a three-match Asian tour beginning with Japan tomorrow at the Yokohama international stadium, where Germany lost the 2002 World Cup final to Brazil. The Asia tour, which also sees matches against South Korea in Busan on Sunday and Thailand in Bangkok on Tuesday December 21, has been arranged as a goodwill gesture of thanks for Asia’s vote supporting Germany’s successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup.
On its arrival in Tokyo, the team immediately made its way by bus to Yokohama with coach Juergen Klinsmann cancelling a planned training session so that his players could rest and acclimatise to the eight hour time difference.
