Bahrain Vs Kuwait: Live Score, Preview, Lineup, Telecast Details

Arabian Gulf Cup
MATCH INFO
MATCH :	Bahrain  V/s Kuwait
COMPETITION :	Semi-Final
DATE:	31-12-2024
TIME:	11:15 PM IST (UTC +5:30)
STADIUM:	Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium

Bahrain	Lineup
Possible XI: Jaffer; Adel, Benaddi, Emmanuel, Ali; Saeed, Al-Asfoor; Al-Aswad, Al-Malood, Al-Khattal; Al-Romaihi
Kuwait	Lineup
Possible XI: Al-Rashidi; Al-Hajeri, Al-Harbi, El Ebrahim, Ghanem; Zayid, S. Al-Enezi; Majed, M. Al-Enezi, Daham; Nasser

Preview: Bahrain Vs Kuwait

Some strong opening games for Bahrain propelled them into the knockout portion of this tournament for a fourth successive occasion.

However, on Saturday, they saw a three-match unbeaten run across all competitions end, suffering just two defeats in their previous seven international affairs.

Bahrain have yet to lose in 2024 when netting multiple times, dropping points in only two of their six contests this year when doing so.

Dragan Talajic has never suffered consecutive competitive defeats since taking charge of this team earlier in the year, following up a 1-0 defeat versus China in November with a 2-2 draw against Australia a few days later.

Muharabi Dilmun have not fared well at this stage of the competition in recent years, losing five of their previous six Gulf Cup semi-final fixtures.

However, they have only suffered one defeat in their previous six matches against Kuwait, losing 3-1 in a friendly back in 2023.

For the first time in over a decade, Kuwait are through to the knockout stage of this competition, going unbeaten in the opening phase under former Bahrain manager Juan Antonio Pizzi.

Tuesday will be their first appearance in the Gulf Cup semi-finals since 2013, and they can equal their longest unbeaten run of the year (four matches) with a victory.

Their run to this stage is one that few could have expected, seeing as they had lost back-to-back encounters ahead of this tournament and were on a nine-game winless streak.

Four of their previous five appearances in the semi-finals of this competition have ended in defeat for Al-Mouj Al-Azraq with their only triumph over that stretch being in 2010 on penalties against Iraq.

Their only victory in the group stage this year came after conceding the opening goal versus the United Arab Emirates (2-1 win), while they scored first in their other two encounters but failed to win.

Kuwait have not beaten the Bahranis in this competition since 2013, when they came away with a significant 6-1 hammering en route to a third-place finish.

Live Start Count

-

Telecast Lists

Click Here

About Arabian Gulf Cup:

History

The Arabian Gulf Cup (Arabic: كأس الخليج العربي, Kaʾs al-Khalīj al-ʿArabī), often referred to simply as the Gulf Cup, is a biennial association football competition governed by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation for its eight member nations. The history of the competition has also seen it held every three to four years due to political or organisational problems. The reigning champions are Iraq, having won their fourth title at the 25th edition, as hosts, held in 2023.

The idea for the tournament was established at the 1968 Summer Olympics, and the first Arabian Gulf Cup took place in 1970 which was won by Kuwait. Kuwait has been the most successful team in the tournament's history, winning 10 tournaments out of 25 in total, followed by Iraq with four titles, and Saudi Arabia and Qatar with three titles each. The current champions are Iraq, who defeated Oman in 2023 to win their fourth title.

Developments

A major point that helped Qatar improve the competition was that Al Jazeera Sports, the leading sports channel in Western Asia, and North Africa is based in Doha. Al Jazeera Sports won broadcasting rights to the 2004, and exclusively in the 19th Arabian Gulf Cup in 2009 and dramatically reformed the Arabian Gulf Cup by hosting numerous talk shows and documentaries, on top of filming in HD and perfecting camerawork of matches.

The tournament marked the presence of some of the most influential personalities of the football world, including FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, and UEFA president, Michel Platini. The FIFA Executive Committee has also put on their October 4, 2013 meeting agenda to hear the proposal for the Arabian Gulf Cup to be included in the international match calendar.