UAE and Bahrain clash in key Gulf Cup encounter

UAE players celebrate after beating Yemen in the opener.

JEDDAH, Sept 26: Bahrain will seek to recover from its opening defeat, while the UAE will aim to maintain its winning start when the two sides meet at 9 p.m. today at King Faisal City Stadium in the second round of Group B at the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup in Jeddah.

Defending champion Bahrain, under Croatian coach Dragan Talajic, suffered a 2-0 defeat to Qatar in the opening game. The UAE, meanwhile, made a flying start by beating Yemen 4-0.

The match also features an intriguing Croatian coaching duel, with Talajic facing compatriot Zlatko Dalic, who took charge of the UAE this summer after a lengthy spell at the helm of Croatia.

Dalic led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and oversaw a successful period in which the team competed strongly at major international tournaments.

The UAE appointed the 59-year-old Dalic to succeed Romanian coach Cosmin Olariu, with the team hoping to strengthen its standing in Gulf football, compete for honors at the Asian Cup and end a long wait for another World Cup appearance. The UAE’s only previous appearance at the global finals came in Italy in 1990.