Tops and flops at Gulf Cup: Lots of goals but Ismail Matar underwhelmed

With the Gulf Cup of Nations coming to an end at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday night, Ali Khaled looks at the tops and the flops of the competition’s 22nd edition.

Ismail Matar, right, may have played in his last Gulf Cup of Nations tournament. Fayez Nureldine / AFP

Up – Goals

Surprisingly for a tournament that only occasionally produced football of the highest standard, the event had some stunning goals. Ali Mabkhout’s five goals were of technical standard. Raed Saleh, Ahmed Khalil and Salem Al Dawsari were impressive in the semi-finals; and best of all was Nawaf Al Abed’s stunner against Yemen.

Up – Sportsmanship

On average, there were just over four yellow cards per match, but not one single dismissal. The tournament was, by and large, played in good spirit and sportsmanship. That has not always been the case in the past.

Up – A worthy final

A tournament that started with a slew of drab draws improved hugely in the semi-finals. The final was even better, a match worthy of the occasion in front of over 45,000 fans at King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh.

Down – Small crowds

The tone was set from the start. The 2014 Gulf Cup’s opening match between Saudi Arabia and Qatar featured a half-full King Fahd Stadium, and though matches involving the home team would include rising crowds later, the attendances were mostly dismal.

Down – Television disputes

The tournament started under a cloud as a television broadcasting controversy left many channels unable or unwilling to purchase the rights. The fallout continued throughout the competition, with several meetings between the heads of the individual associations

Down – Legends depart

Two Gulf Cup legends, Oman’s Ali Al Habsi and the UAE’s Ismail Matar, played what might have been their last Gulf Cup matches in the third-place play-off. It was a low-key affair and both players were subdued. They deserved a better finale.

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