The UAE remain confident of winning the Gulf Cup final after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Oman in the semifinal on Saturday.
Ousmane Camara’s 22nd-minute goal and some solid defensive organization saw Zlatko Dalic’s team overcome the spirited Omani challenge at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah to set up a final with hosts Saudi Arabia.
In the first semifinal on Saturday, the home team beat two-time Asian champions Qatar on penalties (3-2) after the match ended in a goalless draw.
Now the two best teams of the tournament will vie for the trophy on October 6 at the 60,000-capacity King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.
Against the formidable Saudi team, the UAE cannot afford to repeat the mistakes they made against Oman on Saturday.
Having gone into half-time with a 1-0 lead following striker Camara’s goal, the UAE had a great chance to consolidate their position when they earned a penalty.
But Nicolas Gimenez missed his chance from the spot in the 56th minute, forcing Dalic to make tactical changes.
“After we missed the penalty, of course we changed three players. We put in new guys, they brought something new to the team and the game, more energy, and changed the rhythm,” Dalic told Abu Dhabi Sports TV.
“But we never gave up. I told my players, we worked hard for the last 20 days for what? For this night, for this game.”
Dalic, who guided Croatia to a runners-up finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup before taking them to the semifinals at Qatar 2022, knew the importance of the clash against Oman.
Since 2018, the UAE never reached the final of this prestigious regional tournament.
But now the two-time champions, according to Dalic, have what it takes to not only challenge Saudi Arabia in the final, but also to be highly competitive in every event.
Dalic’s key challenge as the head coach, however, will be to unlock the team’s true potential.
“The group is good but it needs a lot of work to keep up with the aspirations and objectives that were agreed upon with the UAE Football Association, foremost among them the return of titles to the UAE’s trophy cabinet,” the Croatian coach said.
Dalic was appointed as the new UAE coach in August this year after the UAE narrowly missed out on a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, having lost to Iraq in the Asian playoffs.
With a proven track record at the highest level, the UAE Football Association identified him as the right man to lead the country’s football project.
Dalic also joined the UAE national team with good experience of local football, having won the UAE Pro League title in 2015 as the Al Ain head coach.
He also guided Al Ain to an Asian Champions League runners-up finish in 2016.
His exploits at Al Ain eventually earned him the job as the Croatian national team head coach, where he triggered the golden era for his country’s football with two superb back-to-back World Cup campaigns (final in 2018 and semifinals in 2022).
Croatia also finished runners-up in the 2023 UEFA Nations League.
Following his team’s 2-1 defeat to Portugal in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, Dalic decided to end his nine-year tenure as Croatia coach.
The UAE made the move to get his signature, but Dalic was delighted to accept the offer.
Now in his first official tournament as head coach, the Whites have made all the right moves, winning their first two games comprehensively — 4-0 against Yemen and 3-0 against defending champions Bahrain.
The team then showed remarkable resilience to fight back for a 1-1 draw against Qatar in the last Group B game before overcoming Oman in the semifinal.
Now if they cross the final hurdle in the final, it will be a great boost ahead of the 2027 Asian Cup (January 7-February 5), which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia, their opponents in the Gulf Cup finale on October 6.
Dalic was roped in for matches like these as the UAE’s quest for World Cup qualification continues, having made their only appearance in the global showpiece at Italia 1990.
The 59-year-old has certainly made a very bright start to fuel dreams of winning trophies and reaching the biggest stage of world football.
Source: Khaleej Times