Qatar to face UAE today as teams scramble for semi-finals’ tickets of Arabian Gulf Cup
With Iraq being the only team already assured of a semi-final ticket, the stage is set for enthralling encounters today as the other seven teams jostle for the remaining three tickets with the last set of matches of the group stage of the ongoing 24th Arabian Gulf Cup hosted by Qatar.
With two matches played, Group A leaders Iraq are the only team with maximum points at the eight-team tournament while hosts Qatar and the UAE are on three points each with both teams losing out in their clashes with the Lions of Mesopotamia.
Yemen, who have never gone beyond the group stages in the history of the Arabian Gulf Cup, remain the whipping team of the group as they are yet to register any goal or point so far.
In Group B, defending champions Oman sit, albeit uncomfortably, at the top with four points while ten-time champions Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are trailing the coach Erwin Koeman men with three points each. Bahrain, who drew their opening match against Oman, remain on one point.
Today’s set of matches will see Qatar going up against the UAE while Yemen, who were routed 6-0 by the Al Annabi stars, is expected to face another uphill battle against Iraq.
In the other group, Saudi Arabia would need a victory against the Omanis for any hope of securing the last-four berth while Bahrain need to beat Kuwait and also hope Saudi will lose to Oman for any chance of advancing.
While the match is a must-win for the Emiratis, a draw will, however, suffice for three-time champions Qatar to book their semi-finals berth having possessed a superior goal difference of plus-five compared with the UAE’s plus-one.
Going into today’s match, the odds appear to be in favor of the Qataris who hold a superior head-to-head advantage over the coach Bert Van Marwijk lads.
Of the 28 previous encounters between the sides, Qatar has won 12 and drawn six and the last time the sides met, at the semi-final of the 2019 Asian Cup hosted by the Emiratis, it was the Al Annabi stars who overcame a hostile crowd atmosphere to register a resounding 4-0 win to book a maiden Asian Cup final ticket.
"We know a draw will just be enough but winning this game is the only way we are thinking of reaching the semi-finals. It will be a difficult game and we feel very confident," Qatar's coach Felix Sanchez said on Saturday.
"The win against Yemen has revived our hope, and we need to get the points from the UAE match to reach the finals. The game will be harder because it is the last chance for both teams," he added.
The mood in the Asian champions camp was lifted on Sunday with Al Rayyan’s midfielder Abdulaziz Hatem, who was forced out during Friday’s match against Yemen due to a shoulder injury, making the training.
With defender Bassam Al Rawi ruled out for the rest of the tournament after his injury in the match against Iraq, Hatem’s recovery is definitely a morale booster for Sanchez’s team who will be going into the match with the hope of keeping alive their target of being the only country to win the tournament as a host on three occasions.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s French coach Herve Renard is confident his team are capable of overcoming the defending champions and earn one of the tickets from their group.
"We didn’t have enough time to prepare for the next game, but we have to be ready for this difficult group. Our fate depends on us," he told the media ahead of the match.
Commenting on the Omani team, he said, "They are champions of the last edition and have a strong motivation to stay. They had a strong game against Kuwait and progressed 2-0 and did well, and in the second-half retreated a bit, but they won in the end.
"We do not fear any team, but we respect all teams. In the current situation, Oman tops our group and a draw is enough for them. Because of this, the task is not easy. We have to play the way we played against Bahrain. It is simple: we have to win," he said.
All matches in Group A will start at 5:30 pm local time while that of Group B will kick off at 8:00 pm local time. Qatar’s match against the UAE will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium.
--
Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.
Instagram - @qatarliving
Twitter - @qatarliving
Facebook - Qatar Living
