Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait 1-0 on Wednesday evening at the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah, in the opening round of Group A at the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27".
Both sides began their campaigns with this fixture, which followed the earlier 1-1 draw between Iraq and Oman.
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Saudi Arabia came out on the front foot. Abdullah Al-Hamdan squandered an early chance in the third minute, and Kuwaiti goalkeeper Saud Al-Hawshan then kept out a dangerous effort from Hassan Kadesh in the 11th minute. Kuwait hit back through Eid Al-Rashidi in the 16th minute.
Goal disallowed
The first half also produced a disallowed Saudi goal. Midfielder Mohammed Kanno burst down the right flank before laying the ball off to Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, who thumped it into the Kuwaiti net. But Kanno's studs had caught the foot of Kuwait's Muadh Al-Dhafiri, and referees chalked the goal off in the 37th minute.
Saudi Arabia kept the pressure on the Kuwait defence after the break but couldn't turn their dominance into goals. Then the breakthrough came. Humam Al-Hammami whipped in a cross from the left, and Kuwait defender Yousef Al-Haqqan tried to head it clear only to steer it into his own net in the 73rd minute.
Minutes later, Saudi goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi suffered a heavy injury that forced him off, with Mohammed Al-Owais replacing him in the 83rd minute.
Saudi Arabia pressed for more in the closing stages, but nothing came of it as the Kuwaiti goalkeeper stood firm against wave after wave. The match finished 1-0 to Saudi Arabia.
Jeddah hosts the "Gulf 27" competition from 23 September to 6 October, with 8 teams split into two groups.
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