Asia Cup

It was held in the Seventh Asian Nations Cup from 15 to 30 September 1980 and 10 teams participated in the competition, divided into two groups, at the head of the first group was Iran as the title holder and included Syria, Bangladesh, North Korea and China, while Kuwait was at the head of the second group as the host country In addition to Kuwait, it included the UAE, Qatar, Malaysia and South Korea.

The delegation of the Kuwaiti national team participating in the tournament. Kuwaiti pressure continued, but the solid defense of the Emirates and its guard, Saeed Salboukh, were an impenetrable dam against Kuwait’s attackers Another Kuwaiti attack and a desperate Emirati defense.

Under pressure from the side of Kuwait, the Emirates scored the equalizing goal through player Ahmed Jumbi, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. This result was not reassuring for the Kuwaiti fans.

Kuwaiti pressure continued, but the solid defense of the Emirates and its guard, Saeed Salboukh, were an impenetrable dam against Kuwait’s attackers

 

Another Kuwaiti attack and a desperate Emirati defense >>>

Under Kuwaiti pressure, the Emirates scored the equalizing goal through player Ahmed Jumbi, and the match ended with a 1-1 draw. This result was not reassuring for the Kuwaiti fans.

(Kuwait x Malaysia)

The second match was on 18 September 1980, with the Malaysian national team, and the start of the match was also under pressure from Kuwait, and it was inevitable for Kuwait to win this match, and they had what they wanted and scored a goal in the 17th minute from a smart ball from Jassim Yaqoub deposited in the net by player / Fathi Kamil. 

Malaysia got an equalizer in the 43rd minute. Our side pressed in the second half, earning them two penalty kicks. The frightening Jassem Yaqoub scored the second and third goals, giving Kuwait a 3/1 triumph.

(Kuwait x South Korea)

It was held on 21 September 1980, and it featured one of the tournament’s strongest teams at the time, as the stadium was packed with fans from both sides. The first half finished in a stalemate. 

 

The Korean team scored their first goal in the third minute of the second half and continued to push the Kuwaiti squad, scoring their second goal in the 18th minute. Then, with the third goal, our team lost 3-0, and the outcome was terrible for all players and spectators. Due to an injury, ElTarabolsi goalie did not participate in the competition, and then Fahd Al-Ahmad (the martyr) said on the day of the match that he was guilty for the defeat, and all of the players recognized their failure in the match. But he had tremendous faith in these players and promised that the debt will be repaid to his buddies, God willing, referring to the three goals scored against the Kuwait national team.

(Kuwait x Qatar)

The Kuwaiti national team contended for second place with the Malaysian team, and in order to qualify, our team needed to defeat Qatar in the fourth and final match on 25 September 1980. Indeed, the squad triumphed 4-0, with goals scored by Faisal Al-Dakhil in the 32nd minute of the first half, Jassim Yaqoub from a penalty kick in the fourth minute of the second half, and Faisal Al-Dakhil in the 12th minute, and Abdulaziz Al-Anbari in the 21st minute. Our team finished second in the group behind South Korea, and will face Iran in the semi-finals, the previous round’s champion.

Jassim Yaqoub scores one of the goals against Qatar from a penalty kick.

Semi-final match (Kuwait x Iran)

The match took place on 28 September 1980. The Kuwaiti national team had a promising start at the time, and its objective was to win and gratify the supporters who were eager to win the title, but it was not as simple as they imagined, as it would play the formidable Iran squad, which had stars such as Barzagari. The first half ended in a stalemate, and the second half began with a long ball from magician Nasser Al-Ghanim, drawn in precisely at the foot of Jassim Yaqoub to be unique and score Kuwait’s first goal in the 18th minute.

Al-Dakhil scores the second goal for Kuwait against Iran

The Iranian side rushed, hoping to keep its championship and even the score, and the Iranian pressure paid off with a goal in the 47th minute, seconds before the contest ended. Kuwait defeated Iran 2-1 in the final match. The Golden Azraq qualified for the final match, where they would face the South Korean team, which had defeated North Korea. With a half-point score.

Final (Kuwait x South Korea)

On September 30, 1980, the final match was contested for the second time in Kuwait and South Korea, who defeated the Kuwaiti squad in the first round. 

Before the start of the final match, His Highness, the Crown Prince, Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah, shakes hands with Al-Azraq players.

 

The match began with enthusiasm, which the Kuwaiti team started in the 8th minute of the first half, when Saad Al-Houti scored Kuwait’s first goal… The team continued to press and attack the Korean team, and in the 33rd minute, Al-Dakhil scored the second goal from a cross by Jassem Yaqoub for ElDakheil to live inside the Korean penalty area to score the second goal… The first half ended with Kuwait’s two goals to nothing for the Koreans… The second half began and whoever hated the terrified man took it from the half of the stadium and was unique to the Korean team goalkeeper and evaded him and skipped him with great intelligence, but the Korean goalkeeper, whom the Kuwaiti fans called the rubber guard, returned again to the goal, so Jassim Yaqoub passed the ball to ElDekheil, who He deposited the net to announce Al-Harban scoring the third goal for Kuwait.

ElDakheil’s third goal.

They answered with this goal, the first-round debt… In light of Kuwait’s impending victory celebrations, the referee awarded a penalty kick to the Korean side at the last minute, but Jassem Bahman had the ultimate say and stopped the penalty shot, resulting in a 3-0 victory for Kuwait. Indeed, they paid the entire sum, and Kuwait won the round. After becoming the first Arab side to win the Asian Nations Cup, he paved the way for Arab football to win the Asian Cup.

Various photos from the tournament