Coach of the UAE issues a warning message before the Gulf 27 semi-final clash

Following the draw with Qatar

UAE head coach Zlatko Dalic hailed his players after their 1-1 draw with Qatar closed out the group stage of the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27". The Croatian believes his side are on the right path to the title, but he warned of the dangers ahead.

Dalic said in the press conference following the match: "We were able to control the entire flow of the match, especially in the second half, and I am happy today with the young players who took part."

A congested schedule forced his hand on rotation, the coach explained. "We are under pressure from matches in a short space of time, but we must be careful in the coming knockout matches."

Reflecting on his team's tournament so far, Dalic said: "We played well in the three matches. Perhaps we did not have many chances today, and I sought to involve all the players because I am thinking about the future."

He added: "We have two days to recover and prepare, and we are developing bit by bit, and we deserve everything we have delivered so far."

Oman await in the semi-final, and the UAE coach signed off with a warning about the threat they pose. "Today our full focus was on the Qatar national team, and as for the semi-final against Oman, they are a strong national team and a side that should not be underestimated. We hold respect for what they have achieved, and we will try to make every effort to win the coming match."