Title clash between Saudi Arabia and UAE tonight
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are chasing a long-awaited title when they face each other at 9:00 PM today at the Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, in the final of the 27th edition of the Gulf Cup. On home soil and in front of their fans, Saudi Arabia reached the final for the first time since 2019, defeating Qatar on penalties after a goalless draw in regular and extra time in the semi-finals. The Green Team will have the chance today to reclaim the title that has eluded them since 2004, raising their total to four titles and moving them into second place on the list of most successful national teams, sharing the spot with Iraq and trailing Kuwait by six titles (Kuwait’s last title was in 2010).
On the other hand, the UAE aim to win their third title after a 13-year wait, drawing inspiration from their strong performances in the current edition of the tournament. They last stood on the podium in Gulf Cup 21 in 2013 in Bahrain, when they secured their third title (their first being in 2007).
Greek coach Yorgos Donis of the Saudi national team relies on the technical level and tactical discipline shown by his players throughout the tournament, particularly in defense, as their goalkeeping record remained clean thanks to teamwork and considerable effort. After the victory over Qatar, he said: “The best achievement is that we played five matches on home soil and did not concede a single goal, which is a positive sign reflecting the players’ abilities and potential. It is also important to control the ball; step by step, we will build our own identity and continue to work hard.”
Meanwhile, the UAE, who beat Oman 1-0 in the semi-finals, did not dream of such an ideal presence under the leadership of their new Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic, who took charge of the White Team just a week before the start of Gulf Cup 27. Nevertheless, he managed to finish the group stage at the top with seven points from two wins and a draw, scoring eight goals for the first time since the tournament adopted the group stage format. The White Team also kept clean sheets in three of their four matches so far, conceding only one goal in a 1-1 draw against Qatar in the final round of the first stage, during which Dalic fielded a reserve side after securing their place in the semi-finals.
Today’s final against Saudi Arabia will be the toughest test for Dalic’s squad, who acknowledged that their opponents have an additional advantage playing in front of their home crowd. The UAE Football Association has attempted to bridge this fan gap by announcing the chartering of 12 private flights to Jeddah and purchasing tickets for their supporters, expected to number around 12,000 according to the allocation assigned to them at the stadium.
Dalic is well acquainted with Saudi football, having managed Al-Faisaly and Al-Hilal between 2010 and 2013. After the win over Oman, he said: “We greatly respect the Saudi national team; they are strong and will play in front of their fans, so the match will be very difficult. I expect a tough contest and a stadium full of supporters.”
