JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia : The United Arab Emirates beat Oman 1-0 on Saturday to reach the Gulf Cup 27 final, where they will face hosts Saudi Arabia.
Ousmane Camara scored the only goal in the 22nd minute, heading home from close range to send the UAE into their first Gulf Cup final since 2018.
UAE playmaker Nicolas Gimenez missed a penalty in the 56th minute, but coach Zlatko Dalic’s side held on for victory.
“After we missed the penalty, of course we changed three players. We put in new guys, they brought something new to the team and the game, more energy, and changed the rhythm,” Dalic told Abu Dhabi Sports TV.
“But we never gave up. I told my players, we worked hard for the last 20 days for what? For this night, for this game,” the former Croatia coach added.
The UAE will be seeking their third Gulf Cup title after previous triumphs in 2007 and 2013.
Saudi Arabia reached the final earlier on Saturday after beating Qatar 3-2 on penalties following a goalless draw through regulation and extra time.
Oman, runners-up at the previous edition, reached the semi-finals after advancing ahead of Iraq by drawing lots when the two teams finished level on all Group A tiebreak criteria.
