Iraq wins 25th Gulf Cup Championship
Players of the Iraqi national team celebrating their victory over the Omani team in the 25th Gulf Cup final match. Photo: Reuters
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi national team won the 25th Gulf Cup title after achieving a 3-2 victory over its Omani counterpart.
With this win, the Iraqi team is crowned with the Gulf Cup title for the fourth time in its history, after an absence that lasted for 35 years.
The two teams met in the championship’s opening match, which ended in a goalless draw, during the first group competitions of the championship.
The goals of the Iraqi team were scored by Ibrahim Bayesh in the 24th minute, Amjad Attwan in the 116th minute, and Manaf Younis in the 122nd minute, while the goals of the Omani team were scored by Salaah Al-Yahyaei in the 100th minute, and Omar Al Malki in the 119th minute.
Before winning this tournament, the Iraqi national team won the title three times in its history, in 1979 at home, and in 1984 and 1988, while the Omani team won the championship only twice, in 2009 and 2018.
The last time the Iraqi national team qualified for the Gulf Cup final was in the 21st edition that was held in Bahrain in 2013. The UAE national team was crowned with the title after its 2-1 victory over the Lions of Mesopotamia.
The two teams played 12 matches during all editions of the Gulf Cup so far. The Iraqi team won five times and the Omani team won twice, while five matches ended in a tie.