KUWAIT CITY: Saudi Arabia lost 3-2 to Bahrain on Sunday to get their challenge for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup off to the worst possible start. The defeat at the hands of their rivals in 2026 World Cup qualification leaves Herve Renard’s men with it all to do if they are to finish in the top two places in Group B and progress to the semi-final. It also means that the Green Falcons have won just one of their last eight competitive matches.
Bahrain, who drew with Saudi Arabia in October in the final match of Roberto Mancini’s troubled tenure, took the lead in the 19th minute in Kuwait City with a well-worked corner. Mahdi Al-Humaidan swung over a cross from the right and there was Mahdi Abduljabbar to met the ball at the near post and send a powerful header into the opposite top corner. Seven minutes before the break and Bahrain extended their lead.
Mohamed Marhoon’s low cross from the right took a slight touch from Ali Lajami to help the ball on its way to Humaidan who shot past Nawaf Al-Aqidi from close range. Saudi Arabia have not won the trophy for 20 years and Renard had selected a strong team to start this campaign and they got back into the game with 17 minutes remaining. Bahrain failed to deal with a ball into the area and there was Musab Al-Juwayr to side foot the ball beautifully home from the right side of the area.
Suddenly the Saudi Arabian fans in the Jaber International Stadium were on their feet but not for long as three minutes later, Marhoon restored Bahra.