Saudi Arabia and UAE name expected line-ups for Gulf Cup 27 final

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will meet in the Gulf Cup 27 final at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah on Tuesday, with both managers expected to make full use of their strongest available line-ups as they pursue the title.

Saudi Arabia reached the final after overcoming Qatar 3-2 on penalties. The semi-final finished goalless after 90 minutes and extra time, before Saudi Arabia prevailed in the shootout.

The United Arab Emirates secured their place in the decider with a 1-0 victory over Oman, setting up another contest between the two sides for the Gulf championship.

Greek manager Georgios Donis is expected to retain Mohammed Al Owais in goal after the goalkeeper played an important part in Saudi Arabia’s run to the final. Donis is also likely to keep faith with the core of the side that featured in the previous matches, particularly in defence, where Saudi Arabia have consistently protected their goal.

The expected Saudi Arabia line-up is:

Goalkeeper: Mohammed Al Owais

Defenders: Mohammed Mahzari, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Jihad Zakri, Mutab Al-Harbi

Midfielders: Mohammed Kanno, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Nasser Al-Dawsari

Forwards: Sultan Mandash, Hamam Al-Hamami, Feras Al-Braikan

The UAE will be led by experienced manager Zlatko Dalic, who is aiming to guide the team, known as “Al Abyad”, to the Gulf Cup title. His selection is expected to include several of the side’s key players, with goalkeeper Khalid Eisa and striker Othman Kamara among those likely to play central roles.

The expected United Arab Emirates line-up is:

Goalkeeper: Khalid Eisa

Defenders: Marcus Meloni, Alaa Al-Din Zuhair, Lucas Pimenta, Ruben Canedo

Defensive midfielders: Mamadou Coulibaly, Issam Fayez

Attacking midfielders: Ali Saleh, Luan Pereira, Guilherme Bala

Striker: Othman Kamara

The final carries different significance for the two teams. Saudi Arabia will seek to use home advantage, with the match taking place in front of their supporters, to secure the trophy. The UAE, meanwhile, will aim to leave Jeddah with the title after negotiating their semi-final against Oman.

The match is also expected to feature a closely fought tactical battle between Donis and Dalic. Saudi Arabia have reached the final without conceding in any of their four matches at the tournament, while the UAE have demonstrated their ability to handle knockout football.

The meeting in Jeddah will therefore be the final test for both teams in Gulf Cup 27, with the trophy the reward for the side that can produce the decisive performance.