Iraq beat Oman to win Gulf Cup title
Manaf Younis the star as he scores winner in 3-2 victory
Manaf Younis scored the winner in the 122nd minute to help Iraq edge out Oman 3-2 in the Gulf Cup final at Basra International Stadium in southern Iraq yesterday.
Ibrahim Bayesh put the hosts in front in the 24th minute in the final of the Gulf Cup, held for the first time since 1979 in Iraq. Saleh Al Yahyaei converted the penalty in the dying minutes of regulation time to level the scores and take the match into extra time.
The drama continued towards the final minutes of extra time when Amjad Attwan again put Iraq ahead in the 116th minute only to see Oman level again through Omar Al Malki three minutes later.
Manaf was in the perfect position to head home a free kick in the injury time to seal a historic win for the hosts.
Earlier, a stampede outside the stadium killed at least two people and injured dozens, a health official said.
The deadly incident happened as spectators gathered to attend the final. The official Iraqi News Agency said some of the 60 people who were injured outside the Basra International Stadium were in critical condition.
No coordination
A physician at Basra General Hospital told the Associated Press that two people were killed and 38 were injured. Some of those with minor injures were treated and quickly discharged. The physician spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media.
“There was no coordination.
Lots of people came here but regrettably, there was no organisation,” said Hassan Hadi. He arrived in Basra from the southern Iraqi city of Najaf three days ago to attend the final match and was not able to enter.
Riot police beat some spectators with clubs to push them away from the gate when the stampede erupted, he said.
Saddam Hassan, an ambulance driver, said there were people of all ages standing by a metal fence leading to the entrance where the stampede took place. He said his ambulance took injured with “bruises and broken bones” to hospital.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry urged people without tickets for the final match to leave the area. It said the stadium was full and that all gates were closed.
Iraq’s new Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who arrived in Basra yesterday, urged people to help authorities in order to “show the final match of 25th edition of the Gulf Cup in its most beautiful form.”
In the afternoon, Basra authorities said the situation was under control and that the crowds had moved away from the stadium, according to the state news agency.