KUWAIT CITY, Dec 22, (Agencies): Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation and First Deputy of FIFA President, praised the generous sponsorship of the Arabian Gulf Cup (Khaleeji Zain 26) by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

In a statement following his attendance at the tournament’s opening at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Sheikh Salman described His Highness Amir’s sponsorship as an honour for the Gulf sports family and a testament to His Highness’s dedication to the growth of sports in general, and football in particular.

Sheikh Salman also emphasized the significant role of the Gulf Cup in enhancing the skills of teams from the GCC countries, helping them to compete effectively at both regional and continental levels.

Mishaal Al-Subaie, the tournament director, congratulated everyone on the launch of the Gulf Zain 26, noting that the event’s opening was met with great enthusiasm. He also assured that the tournament would continue to be organized with precision, ensuring ease of movement for fans and smooth operations.

Kuwait’s national team coach, Juan Antonio Pizzi, acknowledged that while the Blues started strongly against Oman, they couldn’t secure victory, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. Pizzi noted that the forced substitutions, due to injuries, had an impact on the team’s performance, specifically citing Reda Hani and Youssef Nasser. Despite the draw, Pizzi praised the fans for their tremendous support in the opening match and hoped it would continue through the upcoming matches against UAE and Qatar. Pizzi stated that the draw was not a negative result against the strong Omani team.

Oman’s coach, Rashid Jaber, attributed the draw to the nature of opening matches, especially against the home team. He admitted that his side struggled with focus in the first half, but also acknowledged that it could not capitalize on their advantage in the second half. Jaber expressed confidence in his team’s ability to progress in the tournament and focused on the next match against Qatar to qualify for the semifinals.

Qatar’s coach, Luis Garcia, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance in their 1-1 draw against the UAE. While he had hoped for a win, he was pleased with the tactical execution in the first half, which saw Qatar take the lead. Despite coming close to scoring a second goal, Garcia admitted that luck wasn’t on their side. He also mentioned that the team would work to address the issues identified in their opening match as they prepared for the upcoming encounter with Oman.

UAE coach Paulo Bento felt his team deserved more than a 1-1 draw against Qatar. He noted that the level of the Qatari team was different from their previous encounters in the World Cup qualifiers, and praised their tactical philosophy. Bento acknowledged that his team could have won after dominating the match for extended periods but cited a defensive error leading to the Qatari goal. Despite the draw, Bento expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, especially as they gained control of the midfield in the second half. He also recognized that opening matches is always difficult, but was pleased but was pleased with how his players performed overall.