After failing to win and scoring just once in the group stages, Qatar finally turned it on Sunday night to reach the final of the Gulf Cup for the first time since 2004, bouncing back from a goal down to beat Oman 3-1.
Substitute Ali Assadalla, winner of the best player at the West Asian Championships in January, was the star of their show, scoring twice in the second half after Hassan Al Haydos had cancelled out Raed Ibrahim Saleh’s opener for Oman.
Assadalla, who came in for the injured Boualem Khoukhi in the 56th minute, struck his first just three minutes after his arrival and then sealed the fate of the match with his second in the 67th minute.
The win helped Qatar, who have two Gulf Cup of Nations titles, reach the final of the Gulf Cup for the seventh time.
Qatar, who reached the last four following three drab draws, were the more positive of the two sides from the start, but it was Oman who took the lead in the 24th minute.
As Ali Al Busaidi delivered a free kick from the right, Qatari striker Meshaal Abdullah tried to head it for a clearance, but the ball fell for Saleh and he blasted it home.
Qatar levelled the scores from the penalty spot in the 36th minute after the Omani goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi slid into Meshaal Abdullah and toppled him over. Al Haydos converted.
The Qataris then took the lead in the 59th minute after a clever one-two between Abdullah and Ismail Mohammed caught the Omani defence napping.
Mohammed’s shot bounced back off the far post, but Assadalla was on hand to put a shoddy clearance back into the nets.
Eight minutes later, Assadalla made it 3-1 with another opportunistic strike after Abdullah’s shot had ricocheted off the post.
Al Habsi was forced to be a spectator after he had charged out to almost the edge of the box to collect an injudicious header back to him by one of his defenders, but was beaten to the ball by Abdullah.
Paul Le Guen, Oman’s French coach, was gracious in defeat.
“I want to congratulate Qatar on their qualification, they deserved it” he said. “We had a good first half, we had a good chance at 1-0, I think it was the turning point of the game.”
“I think at this stage of the competition it’s a big advantage to have four days rest, Qatar got them and we only got three days.
“It’s not an excuse, but just to say that in the second half it was more difficult because we lacked the legs and energy, but I know we gave the maximum and I want to thank the players.”
arizvi@thenational.ae
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