Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Manama: Ismail Al Hammadi scored a 107th minute goal as the United Arab Emirates became the champions of the Gulf Cup after defeating Iraq 2-1 in the final played at Bahrain National Stadium on Friday.
The match was forced to the extra-time after Iraq Younis Mahmoud Khalaf cancelled out Omar Abdulrahman’s 28th minute strike nine minutes from time. The championship was the second in the history of the Madhi Ali’s UAE, after they won it in the 2007 edition of the competition.
This was third successive tournament Hakeem Shakir’s Iraq failed to clear the final hurdle. Shakir’s U-19 team was defeated by Korea Republic in the AFC U-19 Championship in November followed by yet another second position finish in the West Asian Football Federation Championship in December.
Iraq are drawn against three-time Asian champions Saudi Arabia, China and Indonesia in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup 2015 qualifiers, will take on Indonesia on 6 February 2013.
Likewise, the UAE will face Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Hong Kong in Group E of the AFC Asian Cup 2015 qualifiers. They will make a long trip to Vietnam to start their qualifying campaign on 6 February, 2013. The 2011 champions Kuwait finished third in the tournament after hammering 10-man hosts Bahrain 6-1 earlier in the third-place playoff match.