Bahrain and Oman secured their spots in the Khaleeji Zain 26 final with hard-fought victories over Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, respectively, setting up a thrilling showdown on Saturday in Kuwait. Bahrain overcame a 10-man disadvantage to defeat the host nation 1-0, while Oman stunned Saudi Arabia with a gritty 2-1 performance, also playing with 10 men for much of the match. At the sold-out Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Bahrain and Kuwait went into halftime goalless after a tight first half. The closest chance came when Kuwait's Fahad Al-Hajeri cleared off the line eight minutes before the break. The game burst into life in the second half when Bahrain's Mohamed Marhoon struck the crossbar just after the restart. But Bahrain's chances appeared to take a hit when striker Mahdi Abduljabber was sent off in the 52nd minute for a second yellow card. Despite being down a player, Bahrain broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute. A chaotic free-kick from the right wing found Marhoon, who swept the ball home to silence the 60,122-strong Kuwaiti crowd. Kuwait pushed for an equalizer, but Bahrain's resolute defense held firm, ensuring their place in the final. Earlier at the Jaber Al-Mubarak International Stadium, Oman delivered a remarkable upset against Saudi Arabia. The first half saw few opportunities, but Oman's Al-Mandhar Al-Alawi was shown a red card in the 34th minute for a reckless challenge on Salem Al-Dawsari. Saudi Arabia thought they had taken the lead on the hour mark when Abdullah Al-Hamddan converted, but VAR ruled it offside. Oman took advantage of their defensive organization and struck first in the 72nd minute when Arshad Al-Alawi's low free-kick slipped under the Saudi wall. Oman doubled their lead in the 84th minute when Ali Al-Busaidi found the back of the net, sending Omani fans into jubilant celebrations. Saudi Arabia responded immediately with a stunning long-range effort from Mohammed Kanno, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. But Oman held their nerve, and Saudi's hopes were dashed when Abdulelah Hawsawi was sent off deep into added time. Oman held on for a historic victory to set up their final clash with Bahrain. The stage is now set for a grand finale on Saturday as Bahrain and Oman vie for the coveted Khaleeji Zain 26 title. — SG
