Qatar’s semi-final hopes in balance after loss to Oman

Qatar slumped to a disappointing 1-2 defeat against Oman in the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup at the Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Stadium in Sulaibikhat, Kuwait, on Tuesday.Almoez Ali gave Qatar an early lead in the 3rd minute, but Oman responded with two goals from Issam al-Sabhi, who converted a penalty in the 20th minute and scored again in the 52nd minute.After having drawn against the United Arab Emirates in their opening match on Saturday, Qatar remain on just one point, facing a mammoth task to reach the semi-finals. The Asian Champions face hosts Kuwait in their final Group A match on Friday. Meanwhile, victory propelled Oman to the top of group with four points, the same as Kuwait.Later in the day, hosts Kuwait rallied to beat the United Arab Emirates 2-1 in second Group A match at Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City.Caio Canedo put the UAE into lead in 5th minute with Mohammad Daham scoring the equaliser in 16th minute.After UAE were reduced to 10 men following marching orders for Kouame Autonne in 86th minute, Moath al-Enezi scored the winner with just one minute remaining in regulation time.Earlier, Qatar got off to a dream start when Ibrahim al-Hassan delivered a long ball to Almoez Ali, who surged into the penalty area and slotted the ball home. Oman equalised in the 20th minute after Lucas Mendez committed a foul, resulting in a penalty that al-Sabhi converted with ease.The first half ended 1-1, with neither side managing to break the deadlock despite exchanging periods of possession and control.In the second half, Oman upped their intensity and capitalised on a defensive lapse in the 52nd minute. Ali al-Busaidi delivered a precise cross, which al-Sabhi headed into the net, giving Oman the lead.Qatar pushed for an equaliser, with coach Luis Garcia making several attacking substitutions. Substitute Abdulrahman Mohammed delivered a cross that Almoez headed wide in the 69th minute. In the dying moments, Mohammed’s powerful shot hit the post in the 87th minute, and Almoez squandered a last-gasp header in stoppage time.The result leaves Qatar in a must-win situation in their final group-stage encounter against Kuwait, while Oman’s prospects of advancing have significantly improved.Garcia, who replaced Marquez Lopez as Qatar coach ahead of the tournament, expressed disappointment over the result, acknowledging his team’s good start but lamenting their lack of composure and failure to maintain possession."We began well with an early goal but then lost our rhythm. In the second half, we created several chances but were unlucky not to at least equalise. I believe that the players did what they had to do and they cannot be held responsible for the loss,” Garcia said. He emphasised the need to correct mistakes and prepare for their crucial final group-stage match against Kuwait.Midfielder Asim Madibo echoed the coach’s sentiments, describing the match as challenging but expressing optimism about Qatar’s chances to qualify for the semis. "Our chances of qualifying remain, and we’ll give our all against Kuwait. Mistakes are part of football, and we must learn from them,” he said.On the other hand, Oman’s coach, Rashid Jaber, praised his players’ resilience and effectiveness. "This was an important and hard-fought win against a strong side. Our players executed their roles brilliantly, both offensively and defensively, to secure these vital three points,” Jaber stated.He added that the victory would boost Oman’s confidence as they prepare for their next match against the UAE, aiming to qualify for the semi-finals.