Yemen beat Bahrain 5-2 but exit Gulf Cup after earlier defeats

Yemen finished their Gulf Cup group campaign with a 5-2 win over Bahrain, but the result came after their elimination had already been confirmed. The Guardian reported on Thursday that Noureddine Ould Ali’s side had lost their opening two matches at the eight-team tournament in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before producing the victory in their final group fixture.

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A 4-0 defeat by the United Arab Emirates was followed by a 1-0 loss to Qatar on Saturday. The second result left Yemen unable to progress with one group match still to play. The win against Bahrain therefore did not end the country’s wait to reach the knockout stage: Yemen have never advanced from the Gulf Cup group phase and had not won any of the tournament’s previous 26 editions.

Ould Ali described preparations shaped by the conflict in Yemen. Locally based players trained in Aden before joining the rest of the squad in Jeddah. The coach said the situation in Aden had allowed that camp to take place, while stressing the wider political instability. In Saudi Arabia, he praised the welcome, accommodation and training facilities, saying those conditions helped the team concentrate on football.

Most of Yemen’s players remain based in their home country, where the domestic competition has been disrupted by fighting. Ould Ali said the league had resumed this year following a lengthy interruption and had completed the first half of its season. He emphasised the importance of regular matches for players to maintain fitness and demonstrate their ability, alongside the strong support for the national side.

The coach also said players worried about events at home and the safety of their families while away. Yemen have not hosted an international since a 2-1 victory over Palestine in Sanaa in 2012, according to the Guardian. Ould Ali previously coached Palestine from 2018 to 2021, after serving for more than four years as an assistant.

Despite those difficulties, Yemen secured qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup by beating Lebanon in June. They were the final team to qualify and will appear in the competition for only the second time. Ould Ali said that achievement had offered supporters at home a moment of happiness.