Free fall in the style of Saudi Arabia and Iraq: Bahrain repeats the nightmare of the Gulf champions
Swift exit for the defending champion
Bahrain became the eighth team crowned with the Gulf Cup title to fail to progress beyond the group stage in the following edition, after suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat to the UAE on Sunday at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, in the second round of Group Two matches at "Gulf 27".
That was a second straight defeat for Bahrain, who sit pointless in third place. The UAE and Qatar, meanwhile, booked their semi-final spots with 6 points apiece from back-to-back wins.
The result means, according to the Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiya, Bahrain have repeated the scenario of 7 previous champions who failed to continue their defence of the Gulf Cup title since the tournament adopted the group-stage system in 2004.
Saudi Arabia were the first champion to suffer this shock. At "Gulf 17", they failed to retain the title won in the sixteenth edition, crashing out in the group stage.
Qatar fared little better. They won the "Gulf 17" title but could not defend it, bowing out early in the first round the following edition.
The UAE went the same way at "Gulf 19", eliminated in the group stage after their "Gulf 18" triumph and joining the list of Gulf champions who failed to build on their crown.
Another champion fell at "Gulf 23", with holders Qatar unable to escape the group stage and the trend of the defending champion exiting early rolling on.
Oman were not spared either, and they lived it twice, dumped out in the group stage without completing the defence of their two titles won in the "Gulf 19" and "Gulf 23" editions.
Iraq joined the list in the previous edition. Having won the "Gulf 25" title, they failed to continue their defence and exited "Gulf 26" in the group stage.
Bahrain's exit lengthens the list of Gulf Cup champions who have crashed out early defending their crown, a phenomenon that has recurred across editions since the group-stage system arrived in 2004.
