Zlatko Dalić, the former coach of the Croatian national team, has led the United Arab Emirates to the Gulf Cup final. His side secured a 1-0 victory over Oman in the semi-finals, extending Dalić’s unbeaten run to four matches since taking charge of the UAE.
The only goal of the match was scored by Ousmane Camara in the 22nd minute. Oman had a chance to equalise in the 56th minute, but Nicolas Gimenez failed to convert the penalty. The UAE remain unbeaten under Dalić, with a record of three wins and one draw from four matches.
Dalić took charge of the UAE this summer, following nine years at the helm of Croatia. He made his debut with a 4-0 victory over Yemen, followed by a 3-0 win against Bahrain, and a 1-1 draw with Qatar. With seven points, the UAE topped their group. The team had not recorded a victory at the Gulf Cup since 2019 prior to Dalić’s arrival.
In the final, scheduled for Tuesday, Dalić’s side will face Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, who were victorious over Qatar 3-2 on penalties in the other semi-final after a 0-0 draw after extra time, set the stage for the final. The UAE will play for their third title in the history of the tournament.
Dalić is just one match away from his first trophy in the new role. He had previously stated that he had the chance to win a trophy, and now he is close to achieving that goal.
Meanwhile, the Croatian national team, under the guidance of Slaven Bilić, suffered their heaviest defeat in history at the Rujevića, further highlighting the contrast between Dalić’s success with the UAE and the current state of the Croatian squad.
