Articles
Emirati support fails to dry up in the rainy weather at Gulf Cup
The UAE national anthem was sung loudly, the team facing their fans; the red, white, green and black scarves aloft. But it took 19 minutes for the night to turn grim, writes Ali Khaled.
Mahdi Ali can accentuate the positive despite Omar Abdulrahman injury
As they prepare to take on Oman in the third place play-off match at the Gulf Cup of Nations, Mahdi Ali may have learnt more from Sunday’s 3-2 defeat than from all three group matches.
Saudi Arabia carry confidence into Gulf Cup final
Osama Haswai is confident Saudi Arabia will have what it takes to get the better of Qatar when the two sides meet in the Gulf Cup final on Wednesday night.
Gulf Cup expectations are high in a familiar setting for UAE
Al Ain players on Mahdi Ali’s national team side will try to make up for a previous loss in Riyadh, writes Ali Khaled.
Qatar have something to prove against high-scoring Oman in Gulf Cup semi-finals
Oman’s 5-0 thrashing of Kuwait made the rest of the tournament take notice as they knocked the nine-time champions out of the competition on the way to finishing top of Group B, writes Ali Khaled.
Mahdi Ali has team where he wants them
On this form, the UAE will not fear anyone left in the competition, not even hosts Saudi Arabia, who they will meet in the semi-final on Sunday. The confidence was always there. Now the performances and goals have started to flow, too.
Mahdi Ali banks on Omar and Khalil to come good against Iraq in Gulf Cup
Saudi Arabia and Qatar are through to the last four of the Gulf Cup, clinching the two berths from Group A in contrasting styles last night.
UAE must go for a win against Iraq in last Gulf Cup of Nations group game
The permutations are on the UAE’s side. Only a win can save Iraq from elimination, while the UAE can afford a draw, but it is unlikely Mahdi Ali will be taking that risk
‘Beautiful match’ against UAE, says Kuwait’s Al Mutawa
Bader Al Mutawa, scorer of the stunning goal that earned Kuwait a draw against the UAE, called the clash between the two “a beautiful match” and admitted that his team had to withstand heavy pressure in the second half as fatigue set in.
Abdulrahman gives Gulf Cup a kickstart
It will surprise no one that Omar Abdulrahman was the man to breathe life into a tournament that was in danger of flat-lining.
Little Alonso is ‘a man of six years’
A year since impressing all with his promise, Rashid Al Dhaheri is doing well after being thrown into the deep end of the Italian karting scene, finds Ali Khaled.
Mahdi Ali wants a revamped UAE to ‘repay football’ with performances in Kuwait tie
The manager also said that he will not concern himself with injuries in the opposition camp, nor Kuwait’s rich Gulf Cup heritage.
UAE’s Gulf Cup goal is to find the net, soon
Yet again, the goals have dried up for the UAE. But it is simplistic to blame only individual performances. The system does not seem to be working fluidly at the moment.
Old hand Al Habsi shows he can still get the job done
Omani goalkeeper showed up the new golden boy of Gulf football on Friday, writes Ali Khaled
UAE manager Mahdi Ali satisfied after opening draw at Gulf Cup of Nations
He also expressed his satisfaction with the performance of his most experienced player and squad captain Ismail Matar, who replaced Ali Mabkhout in attack in the second half, writes Ali Khaled.
