2015 GCC U-23 Championship

2015 GCC U-23 Championship
البطولة الخليجية للمنتخبات تحت 23 سنة لكرة القدم (in Arabic)
Tournament details
Host country Bahrain
Dates16–28 January
Teams6 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Saudi Arabia (3rd title)
Runners-up Kuwait
Third place Oman
Fourth place United Arab Emirates
Tournament statistics
Matches played11
Goals scored32 (2.91 per match)
Top scorer(s) Ahmed Hizam Al Shammari (4 goals)
Best player(s) Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem
Best goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Rehaili
2013
2016 →

The 2015 GCC U-23 Championship was the sixth edition of the GCC U-23 Championship. It took place in Bahrain for the second time.[1] Six nations took part. The competition was held in Riffa from 16 to 29 January.[2] Saudi Arabia won their third title after defeating Kuwait 5–2 in the final.[3]

The 2015 edition was officially known as the Huawei GCC National Teams Under-23 Championship for the second time after the sponsorship deal between Huawei and the AGCFF.[4]

It was initially going to be hosted by Qatar in September 2014, but was later moved to Bahrain and scheduled for January 2015[5][6] The group stage draw was held on 4 June 2014.[7]

The semi-final and final were delayed by a number of days due to the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.[8]

Teams

Team Previous appearances in tournament[A]
 Bahrain (host) 5 (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
 Kuwait 5 (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
 Qatar 5 (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
 Oman 5 (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
 Saudi Arabia 5 (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
 United Arab Emirates 4 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
  1. ^ Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year.

Venues

Riffa
Bahrain National Stadium
Capacity: 24,000

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  United Arab Emirates 2 1 1 0 2 0 +2 4 Advance to knockout stage
2  Kuwait 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 3
3  Qatar 2 0 1 1 0 3 −3 1
Source: kooora
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Kuwait 0–2 United Arab Emirates
Ahmed 71'
Salmeen 90+2'

Kuwait 3–0 Qatar
Al-Tararwa 22'
Al Shammari 56'
Dashti 60'

United Arab Emirates 0–0 Qatar
Referee: Mahmood Al-Majarafi (Oman)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Oman 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 4 Advance to knockout stage
2  Saudi Arabia 2 1 0 1 5 5 0 3
3  Bahrain (H) 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1
Source: kooora
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Saudi Arabia 3–2 Bahrain
Al-Sulaiheem 32'
Al-Nadhri 77'
Al-Saiari 90+1'
Hassan 47'
Matar 51'

Saudi Arabia 2–3 Oman
Al-Bishi 68'
Al-Nadhri 72'
Al-Rushadi 9', 43'
Al-Hamdani 48'

Bahrain 0–0 Oman

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, extra time and penalty shoot-out were to be used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Articles 10.1 and 10.3).

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
26 January – Riffa
 
 
 United Arab Emirates1 (3)
 
28 January – Riffa
 
 Saudi Arabia (p)1 (5)
 
 Saudi Arabia5
 
26 January – Riffa
 
 Kuwait2
 
 Oman1 (4)
 
 
 Kuwait (p)1 (5)
 
Third place match
 
 
28 January – Riffa
 
 
 United Arab Emirates1
 
 
 Oman2

Fifth place play-off

Qatar 1–2 Bahrain
Alaaeldin 29' Adel 73'
Al-Osfor 85'

Semi-finals

United Arab Emirates 1–1 Saudi Arabia
Mubarak 25' Al-Kharaa 6'
Penalties
3–5
Referee: Abdulaziz Abdulla (Bahrain)

Oman 1–1 Kuwait
Fazari 42' Al Shammari 7'
Penalties
4–5
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)

Third place play-off

United Arab Emirates 1–2 Oman
Jassim 67' (pen.) Al-Siyabi 49'
Al-Rawahi 79'

Final

Saudi Arabia 5–2 Kuwait
Al-Bishi 32'
Al-Saiari 40'
Al-Nadhri 67'
Al-Sulaiheem 74' (pen.)
Othman 90+4'
Report Al Shammari 46', 86' (pen.)

Winners

 2015 GCC U-23 Championship champion 

Saudi Arabia
Third title

Awards

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:

Top Goalscorers Most Valuable Player Best goalkeeper
Ahmed Hizam Al Shammari Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem Ahmed Al-Rehaili

Goalscorers

There have been 32 goals scored in 11 matches, for an average of 2.91 goals per match.

4 goals

  • Ahmed Hizam Al Shammari

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

References

  1. ^ "Bahrain to host GCC olympic and U-17 tournaments". Archived from the original on 2014-12-29. Retrieved 2014-09-17.
  2. ^ "الكويت والإمارات تفتتحان اليوم أولى مباريات بطولة (هواوي) السادسة للمنتخبات الخليجية لكرة القدم تحت 23 سنة".
  3. ^ "منتخبنا الأولمبي يتوج بطلا لكأس الخليج للمرة الثالثة".
  4. ^ "Huawei signs on as title sponsor for Gulf Cup". Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  5. ^ "GCC U-23 Tournament date moved to August 30". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-07.
  6. ^ UAE prepare for the GCC U-23 Cup
  7. ^ "U-23 drawn in Group B". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-07.
  8. ^ "تأجيل مباراتي قبل نهائي بطولة الخليج للمنتخبات الاولمبية بعد وفاة العاهل السعودي".