The UAE national team is looking to secure its spot in the semifinals of the Gulf Cup of Nations “Gulf Cup 27,” being held in Jeddah, when it faces defending champion Bahrain on Sunday in the second round of Group B competition.
The “Whites” enter the match on the heels of a 4-0 victory over Yemen in the opening round and will secure advancement if they achieve their second win—provided Qatar either defeats Yemen or draws with them—before facing the Qatari national team in the final round.
The UAE, which won the title in 2007 and 2013, is aiming to advance beyond the group stage after being eliminated in the group stage in the past three editions, building on a strong start under Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic.
Dalic cautioned against over celebrating the first victory, saying: “We must not overstate the significance of this win; it is just a small step in our tournament journey.”
He added: “We have an important match against Bahrain that we need to prepare for well,” emphasizing that the team is taking the tournament one stage at a time and that its primary goal is to advance from the group stage.
Meanwhile, Bahrain is looking to bounce back after losing to Qatar 2–0, as a second defeat could lead to its elimination from the tournament, depending on the result of the other match.
Their Croatian coach, Dragan Talajić, said the team will work to correct the mistakes from the first round, adding: “I’m proud of the players and have confidence in all of them to bounce back against the UAE.”
The Bahraini national team will be without Abbas Al-Asfour, who was sent off in the match against Qatar after conceding a penalty in stoppage time.
In the other match, Qatar is seeking a second victory that would secure its qualification if the UAE beats Bahrain or draws with them.
