The United Arab Emirates kicked off their 27th Arabian Gulf Cup campaign with a dominant 4-0 win over Yemen in their opening Group B match held at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah. This victory marks an impressive start under the guidance of their new coach, Zlatko Dalic.
Nicolas Gimenez set the tone for the match by opening the scoring in the 26th minute. The UAE’s advantage was soon doubled when Yemen’s defender Nader Sahal inadvertently scored an own goal ten minutes later. Before the half-time whistle, Luan Pereira added a third goal, firmly establishing the UAE’s control over the game.
Continuing their momentum, Gimenez secured his brace with a goal six minutes into the second half, sealing a comfortable four-goal lead for the UAE. Throughout the match, the UAE maintained 61 percent possession and registered 12 shots, while Yemen struggled to make an impact with only two attempts that failed to hit the target.
As they look forward to their next matches, the UAE will face Bahrain on September 27 and Qatar on September 30, rounding out their Group B fixtures. The top two teams from the group will advance to the semifinals, with the UAE aiming to capture their third Gulf Cup title, having previously won in 2007 and 2013.