When and where is the the Gulf Cup?
The 24th edition of the Gulf Cup is being held in Doha, Qatar, from November 28-December 6.
Who is playing?
Eight members of the Arab Gulf Football Federation will contest the biennial competition. The UAE have been drawn against hosts Qatar, Yemen and Iraq in Group A. Group B comprises defending champions Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Fixtures, results and kick-off times (UAE)
Tuesday, November 26
Qatar 1-2 Iraq
UAE 3-0 Yemen - report
Wednesday, November 27
Oman 0-0 Bahrain
Saudi Arabia 1-3 Kuwait
Friday, November 29
UAE 0-2 Iraq - report
Yemen 0-6 Qatar
Saturday, November 30
Kuwait 1-2 Oman
Bahrain 0-2 Saudi Arabia
Monday, December 2
Qatar 4-2 UAE - report
Yemen 0-0 Iraq
Oman 1-3 Saudi Arabia
Kuwait 2-4 Bahrain
Semi-finals
Thursday, December 5
Iraq 2-2 Bahrain (Bahrain win 5-3 on penalties)
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Qatar
Final
Sunday, December 8
Bahrain 1-0 Saudi Arabia 0 - report
Why are the UAE playing?
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were reinstated for the tournament on November 13. The decision by the three countries to participate means the tournament will again feature eight teams.
Now managed by Bert van Marwijk, the UAE will use the 24th edition of the Gulf Cup to hone tactics during the protracted break in World Cup qualification. Earlier this month, the national team suffered a second successive Group G defeat, losing 1-0 to Vietnam in Hanoi.
The result left the UAE third in the pool at the halfway stage, four points off leaders Vietnam. Only the top team is guaranteed to advance to the third round of qualification.
What is the UAE's record at the Gulf Cup?
The UAE were runners-up at the most recent Gulf Cup, when they were defeated on penalties in the final early last year. Omar Abdulrahman missed the decisive spot-kick against Oman in Kuwait having failed to score a penalty during normal time. The match ended 0-0. The UAE have twice before tasted Gulf Cup success, first in 2007 when they defeated Oman 1-0 in the final on home soil. Ismail Matar, the tournament’s top scorer, notched the winner at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.
The national team clinched the trophy again six years later in Bahrain, triumphing in extra-time against Iraq in the showpiece. Abdulrahman scored a memorable opener to give Mahdi Ali’s side the lead, but Iraq captain Younis Mahmoud equalised nine minutes from time. However, substitute Ismail Al Hammadi struck in the second half of extra-time to seal a second Gulf Cup for the UAE.
A brief history of the Gulf Cup
The Gulf Cup was first held in 1970 in Bahrain with Kuwait lifting the first of their record 10 regional titles. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq all have three titles. UAE and Oman have each won the Gulf Cup twice.
The all-time top scorer in Gulf Cups is Kuwait's Jasem Yaqoub with 18, while Saudi Arabia's Majed Abdullah and Hussein Saeed of Iraq have 17. UAE's all-time top scorer at the tournament is Fahad Khamees with 10.
The biggest win at the tournament is Kuwait's 8-0 victory over Oman at the 1976 Gulf Cup while Abdullah and Jassem Al Houwaidi of Kuwait hold the joint record for most goals in a single match with five apiece, both against Qatar, at the 1979 and 1998 editions.
Saeed holds the record for most goals in a single tournament, with the Iraq striker registering 10 at the 1979 tournament held in Iraq.
