The UAE team remains confident about winning the Gulf Cup final following a tense 1-0 victory over Oman in Saturday's semi-final. Thanks to a goal by Ousmane Camara in the 22nd minute and a well-coordinated defensive performance, the team managed by Zlatko Dalić overcame strong resistance from Oman at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, securing their place in the final against the tournament hosts, Saudi Arabia.
In the first semi-final on Saturday, the home team defeated two-time Asian champions Qatar in a penalty shootout (3-2) after the match ended in a goalless draw. Now, the two best teams in the tournament will meet for the trophy on October 6th at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, which has a capacity of 60,000 spectators.
Before the match against the strong team of Saudi Arabia, the UAE cannot afford to repeat the mistakes they made against Oman on Saturday. Having a 1-0 lead after Camara's goal, the UAE had a great chance to solidify their position by earning a penalty. However, Nicolas Gimenez failed to convert his penalty in the 56th minute, forcing Dalić to make tactical adjustments.
Dalić told Abu Dhabi Sports TV: 'After we missed the penalty, of course, we changed three players. We brought in new guys; they brought something new to the team and to the game, more energy, and changed the rhythm.' He added: 'But we never gave up. I told my players why we worked so hard for the last 20 days? For this night, for this game.'
Dalić, who previously led Croatia to second place in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and then guided the team to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, understood the importance of the confrontation with Oman. Since 2018, the UAE has never reached the final of this prestigious regional competition.
According to Dalić, the two-time champions possess all the necessary qualities not only to challenge Saudi Arabia in the final but also to be highly competitive in all events. Nevertheless, Dalić's key task as head coach is to unlock the team's true potential.
The Croatian coach noted: 'The group is good, but it requires a lot of work to meet the ambitions and goals agreed upon with the UAE Football Association, the main one being returning titles to the UAE's sports cabinet.'
Dalić was appointed as the new coach of the UAE in August of this year after the UAE narrowly missed qualifying for the 2026 World Cup by losing to Iraq in the Asian playoffs. The UAE Football Association identified him as a suitable person to lead the country's football project due to his proven experience at the highest level.
Dalić also joined the UAE national team, having good experience in local football, including winning the UAE Pro League championship in 2015 as the coach of Al Ain. He also led Al Ain to second place in the AFC Champions League in 2016. His successes with Al Ain eventually led him to the position of head coach of the Croatian national team, where he sparked a golden age for his country's football through two magnificent consecutive campaigns at the World Cups (a final in 2018 and a semi-final in 2022).
Croatia also finished second in the UEFA Nations League in 2023. After the team lost to Portugal 2-1 in the 32nd round of the 2026 World Cup, Dalić decided to end his nine-year tenure as Croatia's coach. The UAE made a move to secure his contract, and Dalić was happy to accept the offer.
Now, in his first official tournament as head coach, the 'Whites' have taken all the right steps, confidently winning their first two matches—4-0 against Yemen and 3-0 against defending champions Bahrain. Then the team demonstrated remarkable resilience, fighting for a 1-1 draw against Qatar in the last match of Group B before defeating Oman in the semi-final.
If they pass the final hurdle in the final, it will be a big boost ahead of the 2027 Asian Cup (January 7 - February 5), which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia, their opponent in the Gulf Cup final on October 6th. Dalić was brought in for such matches as part of the UAE's continued pursuit of World Cup qualification, as their only participation in the global tournament was in Italy in 1990. The 59-year-old specialist has certainly started very brightly, fueling dreams of winning trophies and reaching the biggest stage of world football.
