Group A: Oman (Ranked 72)
Oman has only appeared once in the first three ranks but in spite of that the team came second in 2004. It was a tough game against Qatar. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. The game was extended to two extra halves and penalty kicks. Qatar won the match 5-4. Macala, the Czech coach for Oman, has returned to lead the team at the Gulf Cup after spending a year with UAE’s Al-Ain club, which played in the finals of the AFC Champions League. According to Oman’s daily newspaper, Al-Watan, a new campaign entitled “We are all with our National Team” will be launched. Oman is now striving to reach the top, said Ali Al-Hibsi; especially since the team has become a strong competitor unlike before.
Oman managed to qualify for the Asian Cup, which will be held next summer in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
In previous Gulf Cups, the 1984 best player award went to Oman’s Ghulam Khamis. In 1988, Yousif Obaid won the best goalkeeper award while in 2004 it went to Ali Al-Hibsi. In 2002, Hani Al-Noubi, who scored five goals, was awarded best player award. The same award went again to Imad Al-Housani who scored four goals in 2004.
Qatar (Ranked 53)
It was the best treat ever for the Qatari football team when they won the 15th Asian Games held in Qatar. Qatar beat Iraq 1-0 in the finals with striker Bilal Rajab scoring in the 63rd minute. Qatar has been trained by their Yugoslavian coach Dzemaludin Musovic, who has succeeded in helping them perform well in past Gulf Cups. The team won the tournament in 1974. In 1976 they came 3rd. In 1984 and 1990 they came 2nd while in 1992 they again won the title despite losing the last match against Saudi Arabia 1-0. Four years later, they came 2nd and repeated the same victory in 2002. In 2003, they came 3rd and came 1st when they hosted the 17th Gulf Cup.
“It is more likely that either Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq or Kuwait win this year’s cup,” said former Qatari footballer and commentator at “Al-Dawri Walkaas Channel” Mohammed Dahham while speaking to the Al-Watan Al-Riyadhi newspaper in Qatar.
“If UAE enter then we would be welcoming a new champion as the Gulf countries’ performance is now getting better,” he said, adding that the participation of Iran would be useful as it would uplift the performance of other teams. In previous Gulf Cups, Qatar’s Jafal Al-Kuwari was awarded best player in 2002 while best scorer in 1996 went to Mohammed Al-Inazi, who scored four goals, and the best goalkeeper award went to Younis Ahmed.
Emirates (Ranked 87)
The six times winners got their achievements in 1972 and 1982 when they came 3rd. In 1986 things changed when they came 2nd. This trend they followed in 1988 and 1994. Their last historical achievement in the Gulf Cup was witnessed in 1998 when the Emirates came 3rd. French coach Bruno Metsu wrote history books when he led UAE’s Al-Ain to the AFC Champions League. Moreover, Metsu moved to take the helm of the UAE national team in the summer of 2006 by successfully leading the team to the 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals.
“I am ready to play via the plan of 2-5-3 or 2-4-4 as the coach wants,” said UAE footballer Rashid Abdulrahman, while speaking to the Al-Bayan Daily newspaper, adding that the team should be flexible and prepared to play with whatever plan the coach approves of. Not withdrawing from all previous Gulf Cups unlike Bahrain at the 2nd Gulf Cup and Iraq at the 6th Gulf Cup, which indicates a sign of persistence to achieve victorious results.
The team, as Abdulrahman said, has big hopes to win the cup with this squad for the very first time. Winning this cup, he added, would be because of the support they get from fans and officials. UAE fans expect Ismael Matar to be the star of the team due to his skills and way of ending each move with a planned success. In previous Gulf Cups, Emirate’s Saeed Salboukh was awarded best goalkeeper in 1982. In 1986 striker Fahad Khamis, who scored six goals, received the award. In 1988, this award went to Zuhair Bakheit.
Iraq (Ranked 83rd)
The four times winners secured their first achievement in 1976 after coming second. Then they came 1st place in 1979 in Iraq, 1984 in Oman and in 1988 in Saudi Arabia. Luckily, veteran footballer Akram Salman continues to play for the team this year. Since Adnan Hamad left in 2005 Salman has been in charge leading his team to win the gold medal at the West Asian Games that year. Salman said in an interview on the MBC Channel’s Mustafa Al-Agha talk show that despite the critical condition of their home country the team is strong, confident and in high spirits. Iraq came 2nd in Doha Asian Games against the hosts Qatar. Qatar broke the deadlock by scoring the solitary goal few minutes before the final buzzer. The game ended 1-0 in favor of Qatar. In previous Gulf Cups, Iraq won all three awards in 1979 when Hussain Saeed won best scorer (10 goals), which is the highest record in the history of the Gulf Cups, Hadi Ahmed was awarded best player and Raad Hamoudi best goalkeeper.
Group B: Kuwait (Ranked 78)
The 11 times winners Kuwait have succeeded in holding on tight to their title as champions since the Gulf Cup started in 1970. Kuwait had won the title subsequently in 1972, 1974 and 1976. They came 2nd in 1979 but came first in 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996 and 1998. Their last victorious achievement was in 2002 when they came 3rd.
Romanian coach Mihai Stoichita took charge of Kuwait in July 2005, becoming their third coach during the World Cup 2006 qualifiers after Mohamed Ibrahim and Slobodan Pavkovic. Despite failing to lead the team to Germany, he remains in charge as the Kuwaitis seek to qualify for their fourth consecutive Asian Cup. Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported recently that their national football team coach, Fawzi Ibrahim, said in a conference held in KFA headquarters that 26 players were selected from the initial list, which consisted of 35 footballers. He also added that the team would hold a training camp in Cairo from Jan 6th to 14th with three matches held in order to prepare for the Gulf tournament. Their expectation is high and though the training camp’s length is short, the team will undergo intensive training and three friendly matches. In the previous Gulf Cups, Mohammed Al-Masoud (three goals) and Jawad Khalaf (three goals) won best scorers in 1970. In 1972 Hamad Buhamad won best scorer and Farouq Ibrahim best player.
Bahrain (Ranked 97)
Bahrain won their first victory in 1970 when they finished second. They also came 2nd in 1982, 1992 and 2003. However, although their performance did improve to allow them to come 1st place they have come 3rd three times in 1990, 1994 and 2004. Last year, the Bahraini Football Association celebrated their 50th year anniversary and has big hopes of winning the Gulf Cup. They have also signed a two-year contract with Former German international coach Hans Briegel in May 2006. The national team coach is Salman Shuraidah. Although Bahrain is listed in a tough group their team skills, he added, are no less than the other teams and winning the first match would increase the team’s spirits.
“The Gulf Cup is a tournament that forces us to take good care of our team and improve them,” he said. Shuraidah previously said that the team used to depend on the techniques of strikers and focused on opening the way to Majid Abdullah from the Saudi team and to Jasim Yaqoub in Kuwait. In previous Gulf Cups, Homoud Sultan won best goalkeeper award in 1976 while in1982 the best scorer award went to Ibrahim Zuwaid (three goals). Then in 1986 Mohammed Salih received the best goalkeeper award as well as Homoud Sultan who received it in 1990 and 1992.
Saudi Arabia (Ranked 64)
Among the 17 Gulf Cups, Saudi Arabia has secured its place among the first three ranks thirteen times. They won first place in 1994, 2002 and 2003; and second place in 1972, 1974 and 1998. Saudi Arabia came 3rd in the first Gulf Cup in 1970, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1992 and 1996.
Meanwhile, in preparation for the Gulf Cup, Saudi Arabia secured a crushing win against Gambia in a friendly match on Jan. 8 (3-0) at the Prince Mohammed ibn Fahd Stadium in Dammam. The game was green since the 20th minute when Hamad Al-Muntashiri scored the first goal followed by striker Yasser Al-Qahtani who scored two in the 32nd and 50th minute. Saudi also won its second friendly game against Syria (2-1) on Jan. 11. After Syrian Majd Himsi scored the first goal at the 74th minute, Bader Al-Hugbani for Saudi Arabia scored the team’s equalizer after five minutes. A second goal was scored by Saleh Bashir in the 88th minute.Among the difficulties, which may affect the team during this Gulf Cup is the absence of Mohammed Noor and Nawwaf Al-Timyat, who are both injured. However, a new team with new blood will be playing. According to AFP, goalkeepers Mohammed Al-Duaia and Mabrouk Zayed are also absent. It is about time now that such events will open the door for new talented players to appear and gain experience. Marcos Paqueta, national team coach told AFP that he is positive that the cup would go to Saudi. In previous Gulf Sups, Ahmed Eid received best goalkeeper award twice on a row in 1970 and 1972. Best player went to Khalid Al-Turki in 1976 while Majid Abdullah won the best scorer award (three goals) in 1982. This was followed by Foaad Anwar who won the best scorer award (four goals) in 1994. Veteran footballer Mohammed Al-Daeya, in addition, won the best goalkeeper award twice in 1998 and 2002.
Yemen (Ranked 141)
This is the third time that Yemen is participating in the Gulf Cup. During the16th Gulf Cup, Yemen lost their four matches against Emirates 3-0, Saudi Arabia 2-0, Qatar 3-0 and Kuwait 4-0.
Yemen scored a goal during their match with Bahrain but yet lost 5-1 then drew with Oman 1-1. At the 17th Gulf Cup Yemen showed a slight improvement but when they met Bahrain they drew 1-1, and then lost against Saudi Arabia 2-0, and 3-0 against Kuwait. According to Minister of Youth and Sport and President of the Yemen National Olympic Committee Abdulrahman Al-Akwaa the discipline seen during the training camps bring relief and is hopefully a positive mark for the team’s better performance, reported the Yemeni daily newspaper Al-Thawrah.
He added that although previously sport had been facing some difficulties now those difficulties have gone and it is time to show neighboring countries how football is developing in Yemen. They are not less that others, he added, and they have the skills, culture and heritage just like their peers, which will, boost their spirit.
In previous Gulf Cups, striker Adil Al-Salmi secured his country their first goal during the first half on a penalty kick against Bahrain in 2003. Shadi Jamal scored a second goal during that year against Oman at the 54th minute to end the match in a draw.
Nevertheless, a third goal was witnessed for Yemen with Nasser Ghazi scoring ending the match 1-1 at the 4th minute. (All rankings are according to FIFA December 2006 standings)
