Karrar Nabeel fired in a last-gasp winner to help Iraq edge past Kuwait 3-2 this evening in Group A of the 27th Gulf Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Nabeel hit a sensational volley from just outside the penalty area in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time to give the Iraqis the full three points after twice going ahead and then conceding equalisers each time.
Zidane Iqbal opened their account in the 52nd minute but Kuwait’s Yousef Alsulaiman converted a 75th minute penalty to draw level. Saif Rasheed then appeared to have given Iraq the win with a goal in the 83rd minute, but Alsulaiman scored again just six minutes later to bring the Kuwaitis back on level terms, setting up the dramatic finish and Nabeel’s end-game heroics.
Iraq’s victory was their first of the competition after previously drawing with Oman 1-1.
More in tomorrow’s GDN and online.