Abdullah Al-Hamdan booed by Saudi fans after Gulf Cup 27 opener

Abdullah Al-Hamdan was booed by sections of the Saudi Arabia support as he left the field during his side’s 1-0 victory over Kuwait in the opening match of Gulf Cup 27.

Saudi Arabia secured the win on Wednesday at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, beginning their group-stage campaign with three points.

Al-Hamdan was substituted in the 83rd minute by Saudi Arabia manager Georgios Donis, with Firas Al-Buraikan coming on in his place.

As the Al-Nassr striker made his way off the pitch, some Saudi fans expressed their displeasure with whistles. Others applauded him in an attempt to encourage and support the forward.

Al-Hamdan had a difficult evening against Kuwait, missing more than one clear opportunity to score. His performance led to strong criticism from sections of the Saudi Arabia support, despite his previous success in the competition.

He finished as joint top scorer at the last Gulf Cup, Gulf Cup 26, with three goals. Bahrain’s Mohamed Marhoon and Oman’s Issam Al-Subhi also scored three times in that tournament.