Oman face off with the UAE on Thursday in the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup as they look to confirm their place in the knockouts. With four points from two games, the Reds are atop the Group A standings and need a draw to reach the next round.
They began the campaign by pegging back Kuwait in a 1-1 draw before fighting back from a deficit against Qatar to win 2-1. Ranked 80th in the world, Rashid Jaber's side have won the cup twice but have emerged as the dark horses to go all the way this time.
Meanwhile, the UAE also started off with a 1-1 draw to Qatar but went down 2-1 to Kuwait after taking an early lead, ending their three-game unbeaten run across competitions.
Now in their final group fixture, the Sons of Zayed need a win but also hope that Kuwait, who are second in the group with four points, don't win against bottom-side Qatar.
UAE vs Oman Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- There have been 33 clashes between the two sides, with the UAE winning 15 and losing five.
- Excluding shootout wins, the Reds last beat the Sons of Zayed in January 2007 in the Gulf Cup.
- Four of their last seven meetings have ended in stalemates.
- Oman are unbeaten in three competitive games, winning twice
- Oman forward Issam Al-Sabhi is the top-scorer of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, with three goals: one vs Kuwait and two vs Qatar.
- The UAE are ranked 63rd in the world, while their southern neighbours are 17 places adrift of them.
UAE vs Oman Prediction
The UAE may come flying out of the blocks as they aim for a victory in what's their final chance to salvage a place in the knockouts. However, their attack has flattered to deceive in the cup while they have looked shaky at the back too. Oman, led by the in-form Al-Sabhi, will look to capitalise on that.
Prediction: UAE 1-2 Oman
UAE vs Oman Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Oman
Tip 2 - Goals over/under 2.5: Over 2.5
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: Yes