JEDDAH: It could not have ended in a better way for the Saudi fans at the Al-Ahli Stadium on Wednesday night. In the 73rd minute, Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat floated a long diagonal toward Hammam Al-Hammami, who cut inside to fire a shot toward goal for the game’s only strike — and it arrived just as the Saudi fans unveiled a tifo of a falcon at the center of the stands to mark the nation’s 96th founding anniversary.

Al-Hammami’s shot deflected into the net off Kuwaiti center-back Yousef Al-Haqan — but after a game that saw a host of clear-cut chances spurned, it was enough to send the Saudi faithful home happy with a 1-0 victory, one that puts the Green Falcons top of the group after Iraq and Oman’s 1-1 draw earlier in the evening.

With Musab Al-Juwayr — arguably the team’s most important player — left out of the squad for disciplinary reasons ahead of the tournament, the onus fell on Mohammed Kanno and Nasser Al-Dawsari to lead the side, alongside the brothers Saleh and Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat.

The latter pair were the primary creative focal points for Abdullah Al-Hamddan up top, but it was a night to forget for the Al-Nassr striker. His lowest point came in the 58th minute, when Al-Hammami teed him up with a trivela — only for Al-Hamddan to pull the ball back and release Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat despite being through on goal himself. Al-Shamat was stopped by a sliding tackle from Abdulaziz Murad.

Kuwait defended largely in a 4-1-4-1 designed to push Saudi Arabia’s creative players wide — but it ultimately undid their hard work in the 73rd minute.

As fans had completed the unveiling of the falcon tifo, Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat collected the ball around 40 yards out before spraying a piercing diagonal to the left flank for Al-Hammami. The winger brought it down beautifully with the outside of his foot on the edge of the box, the touch taking him past Rashed Al-Dosari before he cut inside and shot. The effort deflected off Al-Haqan and looped into his own net.

Minutes later, Saudi goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi’s night came to an abrupt end after he came to collect a cross, only for Khaled Al-Mershed to collide with the goalkeeper accidentally. World Cup hero Mohammed Al-Owais came on in his place, helping Saudi Arabia see out the victory.

Gulf Cup action continues on Thursday with Group B fixtures. The UAE open with Yemen at 6 p.m., before Qatar face Bahrain at 9 p.m.