Saudi Arabia defeats UAE in the Gulf Cup final

7 October 2026, 06:33·41·Sport

One of the most prestigious competitions in the Arab region, the Gulf Cup, has reached its decisive stage. In the final battle for the tournament's gold medals, the national teams of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates faced off against each other. In a uncompromising clash, the Saudis claimed a confident 2-0 victory and lifted the main trophy above their heads.

The fate of the match was practically decided in the opening quarter of the game. Taking good advantage of gaps in the opponent's defense, the Saudi representatives scored two quick goals in a short period of time and maintained control of the game until the end.

3-minute blitzkrieg: How the goals were scored

Starting the game actively, Saudi Arabia gained the upper hand through a fast tempo:

Al Hammami's first strike (11th minute): In the 11th minute of the match, Al Hammami finished a dangerous attack with an accurate shot to open the score (1:0);
Al Buraykan's second strike (14th minute): Just three minutes later, in the 14th minute, following a convenient pass from Nasser Al-Dawsari, skilled forward Firas Al Buraykan slotted the ball into the net, making it 2:0;
UAE's helplessness: No matter how hard the UAE players, who suffered a psychological blow from the very beginning of the game, tried to restore balance in the remaining minutes, they could not find a way to the goal guarded by Mohammed Al Owais.

Match protocol and line-ups:

Gulf Cup. Final
Saudi Arabia – UAE 2:0
Goals: Al Hammami (11), Al Buraykan (14).

Teams line-up:

Saudi Arabia: Mohammed Al Owais, Al Tambakti (Al Salim, 90), Al Amri, Al Harbi, Al Shamat, Kanno (Al Hamdan, 80), Al Khaibari, Nasser Al Dawsari, Al Hammami (Takri, 90), Firas Al Buraykan, Abu Al Shamat (Hamad, 80).

UAE: Khalid, Aladdin, Pimenta, Meloni (Saleh, 46), Amaral, Koulibaly, Fayez, Oliveira (Akonnor, 46), Nicolas Jimenez (Peira, 64), Bala, Kamara (Sultan Adil, 59).

Tactical victory and solid defense

Although the UAE head coach made four consecutive substitutions in the second half, throwing fresh forces into the attacking line, the Saudi defenders and the players in the center of midfield led by Mohammed Kanno left almost no chance for the opponent.

Through this confident victory, the Saudi Arabian national team once again proved its dominance in the region and presented its fans with a long-awaited new trophy.