Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Riyadh: The 2014 Gulf Cup of Nations kicked off on Thursday as hosts Saudi Arabia played out a 1-1 draw with Qatar at the King Fahd International Stadium.
Both sides, who will also be expected to challenge at next January’s AFC Asian Cup 2015 in Australia, combined to produce a fitting start to the competition’s 22nd edition – in what ultimately proved to be an entertaining encounter full of free-flowing football.
Nonetheless, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock in the 37th minute after 2014 AFC Player of the Year nominee Nassir Al Shamrani latched onto Taisir Al Jassim’s incisive pass and skipped past a challenge inside the box, before squaring the ball for Fahad Al Muwallad to convert from close range.
But nine minutes after the break, an error from Saudi goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah saw him come off his line but fail to gather a corner by Hasan Al Haidous; Ibrahim Majid capitalising at the back post by heading into the unguarded net for the equaliser, which was enough to earn the Qataris a share of the spoils.
Photo: AFP