Expected line-ups for Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the final of Gulf Cup 27
A fierce battle
All eyes turn to the Inma Stadium in Jeddah on Tuesday evening for the eagerly awaited clash between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the final of the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27". Anticipation is high over the line-ups that Greek coach Georgios Donis and Croatian Zlatko Dalic will pick in their bid to clinch the title.
Saudi Arabia booked their place after seeing off Qatar on penalties, winning the shootout 3-2 following a goalless draw across normal and extra time. The UAE got there by beating Oman 1-0, setting up a fresh showdown between the two sides for the Gulf crown.
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Donis looks set to keep faith with Mohammed Al-Owais between the posts after his standout role in the run to the final. The coach is expected to stick with the key men from previous games, especially the back line that has kept the sheet clean throughout.
Saudi Arabia are expected to start the match with a line-up consisting of:
Goalkeeper: Mohammed Al-Owais.
Defence: Mohammed Mazhari, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Jihad Zekri, Mutaib Al-Harbi.
Midfield: Mohammed Kanno, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Nasser Al-Dawsari.
Attack: Sultan Mandash, Hammam Al-Hammami, Firas Al-Buraikan.
On the other side, the UAE take to the pitch under veteran coach Zlatko Dalic, who is chasing the Gulf title with a group of his standout performers across the pitch. Chief among them are goalkeeper Khalid Eisa and striker Ousmane Camara.
The UAE are expected to enter the match with the following line-up:
Goalkeeper: Khalid Eisa.
Defence: Marcus Meloni, Alaaeldin Zuhair, Lucas Pimenta, Ruben Canedo.
Defensive midfield: Mamadou Coulibaly, Essam Fayez.
Attacking midfield: Ali Saleh, Luan Pereira, Guilherme Bala.
Attack: Ousmane Camara.
Both sides arrive with different ambitions. Saudi Arabia want to make home advantage count and lift the trophy in front of their own fans, while the UAE hope to carry the cup back from Jeddah after edging past Oman to reach the final.
A fierce tactical battle between Donis and Dalic is on the cards. Saudi Arabia reached the final without conceding across their four matches, while the UAE have proven they can handle the pressure of knockout football. The final shapes up as the last test for both in Gulf 27.
