ZACCHERONI INSISTS UAE ARE ‘READY TO WIN THE GULF CUP’
Oman manager Verbeek says his squad are ‘desperate to take the cup back to Oman’
Alberto Zaccheroni says his UAE players embrace the responsibility of delivering Gulf Cup of Nations success when they meet Oman in tonight’s final in Kuwait.
The national team, bidding for a third regional crown, take on Pim Verbeek’s side in a repeat of the 2007 showpiece, when the UAE triumphed on home soil to capture the title for the first time.
The pair have much more recent history, though, with Zaccheroni guiding his players to a 1-0 victory in their opening group game two weeks ago. Since then, the UAE have failed to score and relied on penalties to come through Tuesday’s semi-final against Iraq.
Oman, meanwhile, have won their three matches since the UAE defeat, leaving Zaccheroni in little doubt as to the test that awaits his charges at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City.
“Our ambition is very high,” the Italian said. “The players are ready for the final. The match will be tough and we respect the Omani national team very much, because they have given a great performance in their previous matches and deserve to be in the final.
“They have been one of the best teams in the tournament and have played at a strong level. But I trust in our players and they are confident they can win the game. They accept the responsibility. I am very happy because we are in the final. We are ready to win the game, and ready to win the Gulf Cup.”
Zaccheroni confirmed the UAE have no fresh injury concerns for the final, but added that he still needed to assess the squad during their final training session yesterday.
The former Japan national team manager, appointed only in mid-October, is expected to field largely the same side who began the semi-final, with Omar Abdulrahman and Ahmed Khalil likely to partner Ali Mabkhout in attack.
The front three should be enough to guarantee goals, although they have remained hard to come by for the UAE throughout their time in Kuwait. They do, however, boast the best defence in the competition and have yet to concede.
Asked if he believes the UAE can secure the trophy while adopting the Italian Catenaccio style of football, Zaccheroni countered: “The Italian and the UAE national teams are different. We’re not a defensive team: I am focused on striking a balance between the defensive and offensive performance. I know we have not scored goals, but I aim to build a strong team who can score a lot.
“However, I’m more interested in the performance because that will lead to us scoring. If we play better in the final, there will be goals. Most important for me is creating opportunities.”
Zaccheroni’s opposite number, Verbeek, insists last month’s 1-0 defeat to the UAE will have little impact on Friday’s final.
The Oman manager helped his side rebound from the opening reverse to register victories against Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain,
Zaccheroni confirmed the UAE have no fresh injury concerns but that he still needed to assess the squad in their final training session