Egypt's under-17 national team has won the Gulf Cup after a thrilling 3-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates in the final. The match took place on Wednesday at the Hamad Al-Kabir Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Egypt's Khalid Mahmoud Abu Al-Rakb opened the scoring, but the UAE's Bati Al-Junaidi equalized from a penalty. Egypt regained the lead with a goal from Mohamed Atia in the 65th minute and sealed the win with a third goal from Mahmoud Khalid in the 80th minute.
The Egyptian team, led by coach Hussein Abdel Latif, had a strong start to the game, with several early attempts on goal. Adham Husseib had a shot on target in the 10th minute, but it was saved. In the 17th minute, Egyptian goalkeeper Malek Amr made a crucial save to deny the UAE a goal. The team's efforts paid off when Abu Al-Rakb scored the opening goal, assisted by Husseib and Ahmed Safwat.
The UAE team managed to equalize before halftime, with Al-Junaidi scoring from a penalty. However, Egypt dominated the second half, creating multiple scoring opportunities. Atia's goal in the 65th minute put Egypt back in the lead, and Khalid's goal in the 80th minute sealed the win. The Egyptian team's victory marked their first Gulf Cup title.
Egypt's qualification for the final came after a 4-0 win over China in the semifinals. The UAE, on the other hand, reached the final after a 1-0 win over Yemen, with the only goal scored by Sif Costa, who holds Egyptian citizenship. The Gulf Cup featured 10 teams, with four teams qualifying for the World Cup: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, and the second-placed team in the Asian U-17 Championship.
The Egyptian team is preparing for the U-17 World Cup, which will take place in Qatar from November 19 to December 13. Egypt is in Group A, along with Qatar, Greece, and Panama. The team's participation in the Gulf Cup was by special invitation, as part of their preparations for the World Cup.
The Gulf Cup offered significant financial rewards, with the winner receiving 300,000 Qatari riyals and the runner-up receiving 150,000 Qatari riyals. Individual awards were also given, including best player, top scorer, and best goalkeeper, each receiving 20,000 Qatari riyals.
Egypt's victory in the Gulf Cup marks a significant achievement for the team's coach, Hussein Abdel Latif, and the players. The team's performance demonstrated their potential ahead of the U-17 World Cup, and they will look to build on this success in the global tournament.
Key points
- Egypt's under-17 team won the Gulf Cup with a 3-1 victory over the UAE.
- The team's victory marked their first Gulf Cup title.
- Egypt will participate in the U-17 World Cup in Qatar, starting on November 19.
