Bahrain Secures a Moral Victory with a 3-1 win over Sudan in Arab Cup Group D
9 December 2025
Match Recap
Bahrain earned a symbolic 3-1 victory over Sudan in the final group game of the Arab Cup, staged in Qatar. The win came in Group D’s closing fixture at Education City Stadium, offering a morale boost as the competition moves toward the knockout rounds.
In the same group, Algeria defeated Iraq 2-0 to seal top spot with seven points, while Iraq finished second with six. Bahrain finished third (three points) and Sudan fourth (one point), leaving Bahrain and Sudan to depart the tournament with something to smile about despite the results.
Looking ahead, Algeria will meet the UAE in the quarterfinals, while Iraq faces Jordan in their knockout clash.
After two defeats, Bahrain’s victory over Sudan was built on a balanced display and a trio of goals: Mehdi Abdul Jabbar opened the scoring in the 37th minute, Mohammed Al-Rumihi converted a 79th-minute penalty, and Mehdi Hamidan added a third in the 89th minute. Sudan’s Yasser Mazmell did pull one back in the 72nd minute after a defensive error by a Bahraini defender.
The Bahrain goal sparked early pressure, with Mehdi Abdul Jabbar testing the Sudanese keeper Mohammed Al-Nour with a left-footed effort in the fifth minute. A near own goal from defender Ammar Taifour almost shifted the momentum, but Al-Nour recovered to keep the ball out of the net as the clock ticked toward the opener at minute 37.
A second-half sequence saw Bahrain extend their lead despite a red card: defender Mohammed Said was sent off in the 56th minute for a challenge on Mehdi Abdul Jabbar. Sudan pressed for parity, but Bahrain’s clinical finish sealed the win with a late third from Mehdi Hamidan, following a through ball from Ali Madan, leaving the final scoreline intact at 3-1.
In the end, a symbolic win and a display of resilience for Bahrain, who exit the group with hard-earned lessons and plenty of talking points ahead of next season’s campaigns.
