Oman and Iraq draw 1-1 in the opening of Gulf Cup 27

A 1-1 draw characterized the match between Iraq and Oman on Wednesday, in the first round of Group A during the group stage of the 27th Gulf Cup (Khaleeji 27).

The tournament’s opening match was of moderate quality, with Iraq being the stronger side in the first half, while the second half featured a more balanced contest between the two teams and additional dangerous chances created around both goals.

Iraq took an early lead in the sixth minute through Mohammed Qasim, who scored the first goal of this edition of the tournament, currently being held in Saudi Arabia. However, Nasser Al-Ruwaahi equalized for Oman in the 67th minute.

With this result, both teams earned their first point in the group, which also includes Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. They each dropped two valuable points amid the competition for qualification to the knockout stages of the tournament, which is being hosted in Jeddah.

Iraq will face Kuwait on Saturday in the second round of the group, which will also feature a match between Oman and Saudi Arabia on the same day.

It is worth noting that the top two teams in the group will advance to the semifinals of the tournament, which will conclude on October 6.