KUWAIT: With teams engaged in warm-ups and the atmosphere brimming with electricity, fans have gathered at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium to support their country at the 26th Arab Gulf Cup opener.

Oman’s head coach, Rasheed Jaber, expressed confidence in his team’s preparation. “Gulf Cup is a very important event for us, and we have been thorough. Our primary goal is to advance from the group stage. We understand the difficulty of the matches, as all teams are competing with their best squads for the title,” Jaber stated earlier.

On the opposing side, Kuwait’s head coach, Juan Antonio Pizzi, highlighted his team’s readiness, stating, “We are brimming with confidence heading into this match.”

Experts have weighed in on the opener, predicting a closely contested battle. Academic football analyst Dr. Noura Al Marzouqi noted, “The psychological factor represents 50% of the success of technical plans, and the balance is tipped in Oman’s favor to win the opening match.”

Bahraini journalist Hussein Al-Darazi offered a more cautious outlook, describing the game as “a match under different pressures. Kuwait faces the pressure of playing at home in front of their audience, while Oman contends with fluctuating performance. The result is closer to a draw.”