Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will meet in the Gulf Cup 27 final at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah on Tuesday, with both sides seeking to end the tournament as champions.
Saudi Arabia reached the final after overcoming Qatar 3-2 on penalties, following a goalless draw after 90 minutes and extra time. The United Arab Emirates secured their place with a 1-0 victory over Oman.
The match is expected to produce a tactical contest between Saudi Arabia manager Georgios Donis and his UAE counterpart Zlatko Dalic, with both coaches aiming to settle the title in the final match of the competition.
Donis is expected to retain Mohammed Al-Owais in goal after the goalkeeper played an important role in Saudi Arabia’s progress through the tournament. The manager is also set to keep faith with the core of the side that has featured in previous matches, particularly in defence.
Saudi Arabia have kept clean sheets in all four of their matches at Gulf Cup 27, a run stretching to 390 minutes of resistance. Their expected line-up is:
Goalkeeper: Mohammed Al-Owais
Defenders: Mohammed Mahzari, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Jihad Dhakri, Motab Al-Harbi
Midfielders: Mohammed Kanno, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Nasser Al-Dawsari
Forwards: Sultan Mandash, Hamam Al-Hamami, Firas Al-Buraikan
The UAE will be led by the experienced Dalic, who is hoping to guide the White team to the Gulf title. He is expected to rely on a combination of established players, including goalkeeper Khalid Eisa and forward Othman Kamara.
The UAE’s expected line-up is:
Goalkeeper: Khalid Eisa
Defenders: Marcus Meloni, Alaa Al-Din Zuhair, Lucas Pimenta, Ruben Canedo
Defensive midfielders: Mamadou Coulibaly, Issam Faiz
Attacking midfielders: Ali Saleh, Luan Pereira, Guilherme Bala
Forward: Othman Kamara
Saudi Arabia will seek to make home advantage count by lifting the trophy in front of their own supporters in Jeddah. The UAE, meanwhile, will attempt to return home with the title after negotiating their semi-final against Oman.
The final represents a different challenge for each team. Saudi Arabia’s defensive record has been central to their run, while the UAE have demonstrated their ability to manage knockout football by edging past Oman and securing their place in the decisive match.
