The United Arab Emirates kicked off their Arabian Gulf Cup campaign with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Yemen in their opening Group B match at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah. This match marked the UAE’s 27th attempt at the regional tournament, and they made a strong statement under the guidance of new coach Zlatko Dalic.
Nicolas Gimenez was instrumental in the UAE’s success, opening the scoring in the 26th minute. The advantage was soon doubled when Yemen’s Nader Sahal inadvertently scored an own goal just ten minutes later. Luan Pereira added to the tally before halftime, putting the UAE in a commanding position.
Gimenez continued his impressive performance by netting his second goal just six minutes into the second half, solidifying the UAE’s four-goal lead. Throughout the match, the UAE dominated possession with 61 percent and took 12 shots, while Yemen struggled to threaten, failing to land a single shot on target.
Looking ahead, the UAE is scheduled to face Bahrain on September 27, followed by a match against Qatar on September 30. The stakes are high as only the top two teams from the group will progress to the semifinals. With two Gulf Cup titles already under their belt from 2007 and 2013, the UAE is aiming to add a third to their collection.