Paulo Bento optimistic UAE can still reach Arabian Gulf Cup semi-finals

The UAE will aim beat Oman by more than two goals and hope the result in the game between Kuwait and Qatar favours them as they seek to reach the Arabian Gulf Cup semi-finals on Friday.

Paulo Bento’s side have a solitary point from two games after a 1-1 draw with Qatar and 2-1 defeat against Kuwait.

As things stand in Group A, Oman and Kuwait top the table with four points from two games, with both sides having a plus-one goal difference, while the UAE and Qatar have one point and a minus-one goal difference.

That means the UAE must now win to keep their slim hopes alive in the competition while Oman, who drew 1-1 against Kuwait and overcame Qatar 2-1, need only a draw to progress to the knockouts.

“We are in a situation that we created ourselves in the two games we played and must try to win and then wait for the result of the other game to know our fate,” the Portuguese manager said at the pre-match conference on Thursday.

“We are in this situation because of our own faults. We were the better team, but the better team didn’t win.

“It’s not panned out well for us, but what’s important for us is we are still in the race. We are in a tough situation, though, but still hopeful as everything is possible in football.”

Bento’s side were dominant against Qatar and Kuwait but two blunders by Khalifa Al Hammadi at the back and a flurry of missed scoring opportunities saw them go down to the latter team.

The UAE manager brushed aside individual mistakes by his players as “normal in football” as he looked ahead to the challenge against Oman.

“It's a part of the game and I don’t want to point fingers at the players. It’s not unusual. It’s something that happened and will continue to happen in every game,” he said when asked of the individual mistakes.

“We need to accept it as part of the game. Of course, now it's important we focus on the next game because there is no time to correct certain things.

“It’s easy to point a finger at any player or two or three. We analyse every game and every player. We can’t hide what we saw. But the question is not to point a finger at anyone.

“We have spoken on this matter at length individually and collectively but, on the pitch, anything can happen in the situations.”

Having played two games in six days, Bento is going into their final group game with a “normal preparation” against Oman.

“I’m aware it’s the same for all the teams but three days after a hard game isn’t the ideal. But we’ll do our best to win the three points against Oman,” he said.

“Oman are a well-organised side and they are playing well and are in a [good] position after two games.

“We can expect them to play two different games as per their situation. Probably a defensive strategy with counterattack and they are pretty comfortable with or without possession, as we have seen them in the two games.

“We had a normal preparation taking into consideration how the players are after two tough games. They are a team in form but from our side we know that we need to win and that’s our goal.

“Our focus is on the next game, try to make a good game, give a good performance, win the three points against a team who are in a better position than us in the group.”

Bento felt his team have done well so far despite the draw and a defeat.

“There are things that we cannot control, like people's expectations. It is not important they make us the favourites or not win the title. I don’t think that has any effect on our game against Oman,” he said.

“What matters for us is to win the three points. They [Oman] obviously will be aware we’ll play an offensive game, but we’ll play to a strategy and of course cut down on the mistakes. The players are aware of that.”

Bento kept the starting line close to his chest but hinted Yahya Nader and Al Hammadi as probable starters in his line-up.

“We know how good these players are, and we don’t have to make any rash decisions on one or two mistakes from them. This game for us is now more like we are in the knockout phase of the competition and hoping for a result that can keep us in the race.”