Qatar Snatches Opening Points from Bahrain

The Qatar national team began its journey in the 2021 Arab Cup with a hard-fought victory over Bahrain, winning 1-0 on Tuesday at Al Bayt Stadium. The match kicked off immediately after the opening ceremony of the 2021 Arab Cup, in its tenth edition, which is sponsored by FIFA, preparing Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup. The hosts waited until the 69th minute to score the opening goal through veteran midfielder Abdulaziz Hatem with a clever header. The Qatari team achieved its first victory over Bahrain in 17 years, ending the latter's unbeaten streak of 16 consecutive matches. With this result, Qatar ascended to the top of Group A early by earning the first 3 points, sending Bahrain to the bottom of the standings. Iraq drew with Oman 1-1, placing them in second and third positions in the same group. It is noteworthy that the 2021 Arab Cup features 16 teams competing for the title, divided into 4 groups, where the top two from each group advance to the quarterfinals.