Saudi Arabia beats Kuwait 1-0 in Gulf Cup opener

Shafaq News- Jeddah

Saudi Arabia defeated Kuwait 1-0 on Wednesday in the opening match of the 27th Gulf Cup (Khaleeji 27), hosted in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

The first half ended goalless, with Saudi Arabia dominating possession and territory while Kuwait was pushed back into a defensive posture.

Saudi Arabia continued to press in the second half, but determined Kuwaiti defending kept the score level until the 73rd minute, when the deadlock was broken by an own goal. A shot from Saudi forward Hammam Al-Hammami deflected off Kuwaiti defender Yousef Al-Hajaan's path, striking his head and going into his own net.

The result put Saudi Arabia atop Group A with three points. Iraq sits second with one point, ahead of Oman on goal difference, also with one point. Kuwait is fourth without a point.

The match followed the tournament's opening ceremony, which featured performances reflecting Gulf heritage and drew strong public turnout and engagement.

Jeddah is hosting the 27th edition of the Gulf Cup from September 23 to October 6, with eight national teams divided into two groups. Group A includes Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman, while Group B includes the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Yemen.