Saudi Arabia secured the Arabian Gulf Cup title for the fourth time on Tuesday, ending a 22-year wait for the regional championship. The final, held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, saw the host nation defeat the United Arab Emirates 2-0 in front of a home crowd.

Both goals were scored in the first half, setting the tone for Saudi Arabia’s victory. Hammam Al Hammami opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area that deflected off a defender and caught UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa off guard. Shortly after, in the 14th minute, Firas Al Burakian extended the lead with a precise low left-footed finish.

Saudi Arabia managed to maintain their two-goal advantage throughout the remainder of the match, securing their first Gulf Cup title since 2004. The victory underscores the team’s return to prominence in the regional tournament.

The United Arab Emirates, making their first appearance in the final since 2018, had a notable tournament run under coach Zlatko Dalic. The UAE topped Group B during the group stage and advanced to the final by defeating Oman 1-0 in the semi-final.

Saudi Arabia earned their spot in the final after a closely contested semi-final against Qatar, which was decided by a 3-2 penalty shootout following a goalless 120 minutes.

The 27th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup marked a significant achievement for Saudi Arabia, who leveraged both home advantage and early offensive pressure to clinch the title in a tournament featuring some of the region’s strongest national sides.