Dalic rejects excuses as UAE prepare for Oman semi-final

UAE head coach Zlatko Dalic says his side will not use Oman’s extra day of rest as an excuse when the teams meet in the Gulf Cup semi-final on Saturday.

Oman have had an additional day to recover before the last-four tie, but Dalic believes the UAE have also managed their squad carefully and are ready for the challenge.

“Oman have had an extra day of rest, but we are not looking for excuses or explanations before the semi-final,” Dalic said at a news conference broadcast by Abu Dhabi Sports. “We also rested some key players in our match against Qatar.”

Dalic said the UAE’s attention had now shifted entirely to the semi-final after a positive group-stage campaign.

“I am pleased with what we have produced in the previous matches, but our focus is now completely on tomorrow’s game,” he said. “We are approaching the tournament one step at a time and our aim is to continue performing with the same spirit and determination.”

The Croatian coach expects a difficult contest against Oman, who secured a 3-1 victory over Kuwait after producing a strong finish to that match.

“We know the game against Oman will be extremely difficult,” Dalic said. “We have studied the opposition well. They performed impressively in the final 20 minutes against Kuwait and managed to win 3-1.”

He also highlighted Oman’s attacking options and praised their head coach, Tarik Sektioui, while saying the UAE had assessed both the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

“Oman have a strong attacking group, and their coach Tarik Sektioui is doing a good job,” Dalic added. “That is why we have studied their strengths and weaknesses in order to prepare the right tactics for the match.”

The UAE manager stressed the respect between the two sides, whose meetings are often closely fought.

“We respect the Omani national team,” he said. “All matches between the UAE and Oman are difficult, physical and competitive, so we are cautious and ready for tomorrow.”

Dalic was also asked about the UAE being regarded as one of the favourites to win the competition. He said the team must first overcome Oman before thinking about lifting the trophy.

“We are now in the semi-finals, and I am happy with the way we played in the group stage and the high levels we showed,” he said. “We must continue the journey by beating Oman and making our supporters happy.”

Winning the Gulf Cup, he added, would be difficult, but the UAE must be fully prepared and maintain maximum concentration.

“We have to be ready and give our best on the pitch,” Dalic said. “We will be at the highest level of focus against Oman.”