Oman will give its best to win Gulf Cup: Verbeek

By Ashok Purohit
January 04, 2018

Come this Friday, thousands of football fans in Oman and UAE will be glued to the TV sets or screens to watch the Gulf Cup final. The summit clash between Oman and UAE, also known as Gulf derby, will be played at the Jaber al Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait. The match starts at 6.30pm (Oman time).

With the Red Warriors displaying impressive form in its march to the final, expectations of Oman’s second title have sky-rocketed and the national team coach, Pim Verbeek of the Netherlands, is aware of them. Oman won the only title in 2009 at home while UAE won it twice in 2007 and 2013.

Pim Verbeek

In his exclusive remarks to Muscat Daily on Wednesday, a day after Oman beat Bahrain in the semis, the 61 year old Dutchman said, “To play UAE in the final of the Gulf Cup is a dream for our boys. No doubt, UAE is one of the best teams in the tournament and to play against them in the title clash will give my players extra motivation to get past them. We are having a good run and the players are in top form. We will do everything to win the Gulf Cup.”

Oman had lost to the UAE 0-1 in the opening match of the tourney on December 22 but Verbeek still insisted that it was ‘his boys’ best game’ and declined to label the final as a revenge game.

Ten years ago, hosts UAE had edged past Oman 1-0 in the final of the 18th Gulf Cup in Abu Dhabi.

Verbeek said that the 2007 loss was a long way back and though there may be talks of a revenge final, his only focus was to plan Oman’s win. “We will do everything possible to win as there is a lot at stake.”