The 26th Arab Gulf Cup football tournament hosted by Kuwait is nearing its end, with all matches in Group A's final round ending in draws, including a 1-1 draw between the UAE and Oman, and a 1-1 draw between Kuwait and Qatar. As a result, Oman and Kuwait have advanced to the semi-finals, while the UAE and Qatar have been eliminated early.
As the reigning champions of the last two Asian Cups, Qatar has experienced a rapid decline following their performance in the Gulf Cup, which is quite surprising.
In the first round, Qatar drew 1-1 with the UAE, and in the second round, they were overturned by Kuwait with a score of 1-2, accumulating only one point and falling to the bottom of the group. In the final round, only a victory would give them hope of advancing.
Facing host Kuwait in the final round, Qatar maintained a possession rate of over 65% throughout the match, with more shots on goal, corners, and scoring opportunities than their opponents. However, their efficiency in converting these opportunities into goals was not high.
Neither team scored in the first half, but in the 74th minute of the second half, Kuwait broke the deadlock. Qatar, facing a desperate situation, launched a fierce counterattack and managed to equalize the score at 1-1 in the 100th minute, at which point the match ended.
According to the latest world rankings, Qatar is ranked 48th, while Kuwait is ranked 134th. This draw can be considered a major upset.
Thus, Qatar accumulated only two points in three rounds, securing their position at the bottom of the group and being eliminated in a winless streak.
Statistics show that since participating in the top 18 qualifiers in September this year, Qatar has only managed two wins, three draws, and four losses. Their victories came against weaker teams like North Korea and Kyrgyzstan, while they suffered defeats against stronger opponents such as Iran and the UAE, even being overturned by Kuwait in the Gulf Cup.
From winning the Asian Cup at the beginning of the year to finishing at the bottom and being eliminated from the Gulf Cup at the end of the year, Qatar's decline has been too fast, casting doubt on the legitimacy of their Asian Cup title.
For the national football team, this is undoubtedly good news, as Qatar's strength has now fallen to the third tier in Asia. With the possibility of advancing to the World Cup through the top 18 playoff qualifiers, it's almost like being guaranteed a spot in the World Cup. Qatar currently sits fourth in Group A with seven points and is out of contention for second place, making them the most likely to enter the playoffs. The national team also has a chance to reach the playoffs, and with six more points in the final four matches, they can secure qualification.