Saudi Arabia and UAE finalize preparations for the final
The Saudi and Emirati national teams are concluding their preparations for Tuesday’s anticipated final of the 27th edition of the Gulf Cup, known as “Khaleeji Al-Arabiya 27,” to be held at the Inma Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The host nation, “Al-Akhdar” (The Green), narrowly advanced to the final on Saturday by defeating Qatar 3-2 on penalties after a goalless draw in regular and extra time. Meanwhile, “Al-Abiad” (The White) secured their spot in the final with a 1-0 victory over Oman.
Speaking after the semi-final, the Saudi coach said, “We faced a difficult team that played defensively, which made creating chances hard. We managed to create some, but we failed to score, which is natural in football.”
The Greek coach highlighted the impact of match fatigue, adding, “In short, concentrated tournaments, exhaustion is always present. We must now focus on the final step and look forward to supporting the fans in the final, as their influence on us is significant.”
For his part, the Qatar national team coach, Spanish manager Julen Lopetegui, praised his players despite their elimination, noting that “Al-Asfar” (The Canaries) came close to knocking out what he described as “perhaps the best team in the tournament.”
Lopetegui said, “We lost on penalties because we missed some of our kicks, but I believe the Qatari fans should be extremely proud of the spirit, heart, and fighting energy the players showed against a very strong team that is hosting the tournament and playing in front of its own supporters.”
He added, “We played a very good defensive match and were very close to eliminating the Saudi team, even though we had fewer rest days. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia was able to change eight players in their last group stage match, an option we didn’t have, and they also received an extra day of rest.”
After the UAE national team defeated Oman on their way to their first final since the 2017 edition in Kuwait, Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic emphasized the difficulty of the upcoming final.
Dalic said, “The final will be tough. They will play in front of a large crowd, and they are also tired after playing extra time, while we are under pressure as well. We will analyze everything, and I will focus on studying the team from all angles.”
For his part, Oman national team coach Tariq Al-Sketioui expressed the deep sadness that pervaded his team’s locker room after the loss to the UAE, insisting that his team did not deserve to lose.
Al-Sketioui said at the post-match press conference, “It was an exciting match between two brother teams, and we did not start well. Unfortunately, we conceded a goal from a free kick due to a lack of marking, while we had chances that we failed to capitalize on.”
Regarding Oman’s performance in the tournament, Al-Sketioui added, “The tournament was very successful for us, and we have bigger challenges ahead. We will build on the many positives we showed, and I reiterate that the national team is open to everyone, and we will study all options in the coming phase.”
