Arabian Gulf Cup hosts Iraq sink Saudi Arabia 2-0

The win places Iraq at the top of Group A with 4 points, while the Saudis now need a win in their last match in the group to advance

Alec Pollard
Alec Pollard ■ Middle East Correspondent for i24NEWS English Channel
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An Iraqi supporter poses for a picture during the Arabian Gulf Cup soccer match between Iraq and Saudi Arabia in Basra, Iraq, on January 9, 2023.
An Iraqi supporter poses for a picture during the Arabian Gulf Cup soccer match between Iraq and Saudi Arabia in Basra, Iraq, on January 9, 2023.Hussein Faleh / AFP

Manic celebrations took place in Iraq after its national team scored a 2-0 upset win in the Arabian Gulf Cup over the soccer giants of the Arab world, Saudi Arabia.

It was played on home soil in Basra as 60,000 Iraqi fans went wild when Ibrahim Bayesh scored at the 30-minute mark and then Aso Rustom netted a goal at 86 minutes.

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The win placed Iraq at the top of Group A with four points, while the Saudis - the only team to defeat champions Argentina in the recent World Cup in Qatar - now need a win in their last match in the group to advance.

Fans chanted Iraq's national anthem with patriotism running high as the country is hosting the tournament for the first time in over 40 years. Enthusiasm was so high following the match that spectators decided to emulate the Japanese fans during the 2022 World Cup, cleaning the stadium after the match.

The tournament has been held every two years since 1970, pitting the eight nations in the Arabian Gulf against each other - the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Iraq.

Bahrain sits atop Group B with a tournament-leading six points. Iraq next plays Yemen in its final group stage match before the knockout rounds.

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