Oman are looking forward to overcome the challenge from the UAE and book the semifinals of the 26th edition of Arabian Gulf Cup hosted by Kuwait until January 3.
Oman will take on the UAE at Jaber Al Mubarak Stadium at 6:30 pm (Oman time) on Friday.
Within the third round of Group A matches, Kuwait will meet Qatar at the same time at Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium.
All four teams have an opportunity to reach the semifinals. Oman and Kuwait have four points each, while the UAE and Qatar have one point each.
Oman and Kuwait have the advantage to the next round with more than one opportunity, whether a draw, a win, goal difference, direct confrontations, or fair play.
Oman head coach Rasheed bin Jaber al Yafei, indicated in a press conference that “all four teams in Group A have a chance to qualify, stressing that Oman team will enter the match as a starting point.”
“We need effort and focus in the match from the beginning until the final whistle. We aim to present a good level and make great efforts to win. It is important for us to have confidence in ourselves, and we must know how to deal with the match and distribute our efforts on the field.”
“It is very necessary for our focus to be on the defensive and offensive aspects, and we know the importance of the match," the Omani coach said.
“The refereeing area is always a subject of controversy and indeed there are many mistakes in matches and I hope that will not affect the result of any match.”
Jaber added: “Salah al Yahyaei participated in the training sessions in the past days and we will make a decision about his participation.”
TOP PERFORMANCE
UAE coach Paulo Bento confirmed that “our team's preparations were normal, considering that the match is difficult and Oman team is a tough opponent that will try to win this match at any cost to avoid complicated calculations.”
Bento praised Oman's performance in the tournament. “In my opinion Oman are performing strongly and has a good coach for a short time.
They are in a good position and will play the match comfortably and they have a good striker, Issam al Subhi, who moves inside and outside the box and scored in the previous two matches.”
Bahraini international referee Ammar Mahfouz will officiate the match, assisted by Mohammed Jaffar, Abdullah al Ruwaimi, and Saudi Khalid al Turais as the fourth referee, while VAR will be handled by Japanese Iida Gami, assisted by Iraqi Ahmed Kazim.
Mohsen al Masroori, Vice-Chairman of the Oman Football Association, said: “Tomorrow's match will not be easy, and we hope the players will be at their best and provide the level that suits them, especially since the UAE have a chance to qualify.”
“The level of the third and final round of Group A will be high because all four teams have a chance to qualify,” he added.
"Since the last Asian Cup, the team has not been at its usual level, and we hope the current championship will be the beginning of a return to the forefront."
"The national team is certainly among the candidates for the title, as it was the runner-up in the last edition, and the most present in the semifinals since the adoption of the two-group system," Al Masroori concluded.
SAUDI ARABIA TO HOST 27TH GULF CUP
On the sidelines of Khaleeji Zain, the General Assembly meeting was held on Thursday attended by OFA Vice-Chairman Mohsen bin Hamad al Masroori and Ibrahim al Alawi, member of OFA board, and Mohammed al Yahmadi, Secretary-General.
Hosting the 27th edition of Gulf Cup was assigned to Saudi Arabia, to be held in September and October 2026.
The Gulf Cup returns to Riyadh for the fifth time after 1972, 1988, 2002, 2014, and 2026.
Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup in 2027, leading up to host the biggest event 2034 World Cup, which will witness the participation of 48 countries.
Pics by Hussain al Maqbali
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