Saudi Arabia and the Reasons That Led to Winning the Gulf Cup.. What Are the Main Gains for the UAE from the Tournament?

The Saudi national team succeeded in winning the Gulf Cup in its twenty-seventh edition, which was held in the city of Jeddah, after defeating its Emirati counterpart with two clean goals in the final. What distinguishes the Saudi generation that appeared in this tournament? And why was this participation beneficial for the UAE despite the loss?

Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the "Green" in their journey in the Gulf Cup was the control of the rhythm, which is a very important characteristic provided by the principle of possessing the ball for as long as possible. Saudi Arabia succeeded in controlling the rhythm of its matches remarkably, as it was able to increase the pace when needed, especially at the beginning of the first or second half.

Looking at the timing of Saudi Arabia's goals, it is clear that they scored 4 goals in the first quarter of the first half and two goals in the first 20 minutes of the second half, in addition to a goal in the 73rd minute and a goal in the 34th minute. After scoring the goals, the Saudi team showed a high ability to control the rhythm in a way that suited them, as they slowed down the game in many minutes while keeping the ball and quickly regaining it when lost to distribute their effort appropriately and face the enthusiasm of the opponent eager to equalize.

Ironclad Defense It is no secret that the "Green" achieved the title of this tournament without conceding any goals in the matches they played, which is evidence of the success of their defensive system on both collective and individual levels. Collectively, the Saudi defense was remarkably disciplined, and individually, its defenders such as Abdulilah Al-Amri, Hassan Tambakti, and even Mohamed Abu Shamat, known for his attacking tendency, delivered outstanding performances.

A Gem in Midfield Nasser Al-Dosari presented himself remarkably in this tournament, as he shone in the midfield with his ability to carry the ball under pressure and provided exceptional forward passes, the last and most important of which was the pass he delivered to Feras Al-Breikan in the final against the UAE before Al-Breikan scored the second goal. Al-Dosari played complex roles in the midfield alongside Mohamed Kanno and Abdullah Al-Khaibari in ball recovery, rhythm control, and other distinguished roles.

The formidable dam shone with the veteran goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais in this tournament, as he saved several penalty kicks against Qatar in the semi-finals and delivered impressive performances during the regular times in both the semi-finals and the final. Al-Owais's role was not limited to the technical side; he was also one of the main leaders of the team due to his long experience and background.

The UAE and the rich experience: The UAE national team participated in its first tournament under the leadership of its new Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic, delivering remarkable performances throughout the tournament and reaching the final, but ultimately fell short of winning the title due to minor details. Despite losing the final, the 'Whites' gained significant benefits from the tournament as the coach got to know his players well, and the players became familiar with the coach's ideas.

A unique experience: Zlatko played with different formations and included most of the UAE national team players to assess their levels in this tournament, which is the biggest gain for him. Several players in the UAE national team performed excellently, such as Guilherme Bala, Othman Kamara, Jimenez, and others.

Preparation for Asia: This tournament will serve as an important and more effective preparation for the UAE national team ahead of the upcoming Asian Cup, as Dalic will work on developing the necessary aspects before the major continental tournament.