KUWAIT: Mohammad Daham scored for Kuwait at the 16th minute and Moath Al-Enezi netted the winner at the 89th minute to give Kuwait their first victory of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup ‘Khaleeji Zain 26’ against the UAE on Tuesday. The win puts Kuwait in cruise control as it seeks to claim the tournament’s title, standing on top of Group A with four points ahead of Oman.

Kuwait’s game winner came after a stumble from UAE defender Khalifa Al-Hamadi, who tried to return the ball to the keeper, but it ended up with Kuwait’s Al-Enezi in front of the goal as he feinted the keeper and fired the ball into the back of the net. The UAE team surprised the hosts with a pressing attack from the first minute, which caused some confusion among the Kuwaiti team, and resulted in an early goal by Caio Canedo in the sixth minute. But the Kuwaiti team quickly regained its balance with a goal in the 16th minute through Mohammad Daham.

The UAE team was able to achieve the advantage in terms of possession for most of the first half, which placed great responsibility on the Blue defenses and goalkeeper Khaled Al-Rashidi, Caio Canedo, Harib Abdullah, and Yahya Al-Ghassani posed a great danger. On the other hand, the Kuwaiti team relied on the zone defense and counterattacks that posed some danger, especially since the UAE defense was not in the best condition.

Kuwait's players celebrate their team's victory against the UAE following the match at the Jaber International Stadium on Tuesday.

Kuwait coach Juan Pizzi relied on Youssef Nasser in the front, assisted by Mohammad Daham, Youssef Majid, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, and Ali Khalaf on the sides and in the middle, while Sultan Al-Enezi was limited to defensive roles.

In the second half, Kuwait coach Pizzi changed his plan by introducing Sami Al-Sanea substituting Nasser Al-Enezi, hoping to counter the expected UAE attacks. On the other hand, the UAE team increased its pressure, and Caio, followed by Harib Abdullah, and Yahya Al Ghassani almost scored against Kuwait, but the goalkeeper and the defense line shone.

The UAE Whites continued their search for the lead, while the Kuwaiti players retreated defensively, which forced the Blues’ coach Pizzi to revitalize the ranks by introducing Reda Hani and Moath Al-Enezi, who stirred the stagnant waters in the Kuwaiti ranks.

Al-Enezi was able to score the winning goal in the last minutes of the match, taking advantage of a mistake by Al-Hamadi, knowing that the UAE team suffered from a numerical shortage after Kwame was shown a red card in the 87th minute.

Best results

Pizzi expressed his pride in his players after the 2-1 win over the UAE in the second round of Group A of Gulf 26. Pizzi said in the post-match press conference: “I don’t promise results, but I promise to work and present the best picture.”

Pizzi praised the great support the team received from the fans, expressing his hope that it will continue until the end. Regarding the inclusion of rookie Nasser Khader, Pizzi explained that he aims to give a chance to some special elements. “Nasser, Daham, Al-Enezi, Youssef Majed, and others are the future of Kuwaiti football,” he explained.

Pizzi was met with applause from the Kuwaiti media during the press conference after the win over the UAE. Yahya Al Ghassani, player of the UAE national team, congratulated the Kuwaiti team on winning, saying in televised statements after the match: “The UAE team performed well for most of the match, scoring an early goal, and we should have scored more, especially in the first half.”

He added: “The Kuwaiti team took advantage of two mistakes and scored their two goals, and I think they did not offer anything in the game except the two goals, and we missed many chances to score.”

He continued: “We must now consider our match with Kuwait as a thing of the past and start thinking and focusing on our match next Friday, against Oman, with the desire to win,” he continued. “We are very confident in ourselves, that we can qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament.”

The Kuwaiti team raised its point-total after this victory to 4 points and shared the top spot with the Omani team, who beat Qatar 2-1 earlier in the day. Kuwait and Oman require a draw in the third and final round next Friday to qualify for the semifinals. Kuwait will meet Qatar, and the UAE will play against Oman on Friday. The Emirati and Qatari teams will have no choice but to win in the last round, in the hope of qualifying after their point-total froze at one point each.