Oman hosted Kuwait on Tuesday night. Trailing, they won 3-1. At the same time, Iraq, second at kick-off, lost 2-0 in Saudi Arabia. In this Arabian Gulf Cup, the top two in each of the two groups of four go through to the semi-finals. One place was left, and two teams to take it.
They could not be separated. 1-1 in their head-to-head. Four goals scored, five conceded, each. And eight yellow cards each, Oman’s eighth being Musab Al-Shaqsy’s, cautioned for taking his shirt off after the last goal.
The Gulf Cup Federation then held a draw, in a hotel in Jeddah. Oman won it, at Iraq’s expense.
I have nothing against a draw. In 1980, we drew the groups, and kept quiet. But in a hotel. Not at the stadium, not on the pitch. In a hotel. We put cameras everywhere to spot a toe offside, and the moment that matters happens where people put down their suitcases. I’m not criticising. I’m comparing. Well. It’s the times.
Graham Arnold, the Australian coach of Iraq, felt his side should have gone through on their better FIFA ranking, 63rd against Oman’s 80th. “We have to fall back on FIFA’s regulations,” he said, according to RMC Sport. He added: “Our level is higher than Oman’s, our ranking is better than theirs, and if we want to be fair, we have to follow the rules. We’ll see what happens, but I think it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t qualify.”
A shirt removed. A card. And the fate of two countries left to chance. Note that I’m not against joy. I’m against that one, when it costs a yellow.
Oman will play the runner-up of Group B in the semi-final, either the United Arab Emirates or Qatar, who meet on Wednesday.
It’s true, we checked: RMC Sport.
