The UAE coach congratulates the fans after the victory over Yemen, and the Yemeni coach apologizes for the loss

Croatian Zlatko Dalic, coach of the UAE national team, congratulated Al-Abyad fans after their 4-0 victory over Yemen at the start of their Gulf Cup campaign, stressing that the three points represent an important beginning on the path to building the national team during the next stage.

Dalic said in the press conference after the match: “Congratulations to the fans of the UAE national team. We achieved a well-deserved victory and three important points. Our performance in the second half was not at the same level as our performance in the first half, but fatigue played a role, and now we have to shift our focus to the next match.”

The Croatian coach spoke about his return to Saudi Arabia, saying: “I have beautiful memories in Saudi Arabia, and training the UAE national team represents a new experience for me. “I now look to the future and how to rebuild the national team.”

He added: “Our goal in this tournament is first to pass the group stage, and after that we will deal with the journey step by step. “I know very well how enthusiastic the UAE national team fans are, and we hope that their support for us will continue.”

Regarding the naturalized players in the UAE national team, Dalic said: “My goal is to build a national team, and I do not differentiate between naturalized players and Emirati players. They all represent the national team, and I hope that the fans will stand behind us and support us.”

He continued: “The naturalized players are happy to represent the Emirates. Of course, continuing this work is not easy, but we will build the team step by step, and the goal is to become one group.”

Algerian Noureddine Ould Ali, coach of the Yemeni national team, apologized to the Yemeni fans after losing to the UAE 4-0 at the beginning of their journey in the 27th Gulf Cup, stressing that he bears responsibility for the result, and pointing out that mistakes and collective negligence were among the most prominent reasons for the loss.

Ould Ali said in the press conference after the match: “We apologize to the Yemeni fans for this loss, and great negligence was one of the reasons for it. “I warned the players, especially on the defensive side, because we are facing a team that has highly skilled players.”

He added: “Despite the harshness of the result, this loss may be beneficial for us because it makes us more alert in the upcoming matches, and shows us what we must do, and the mistakes we must avoid.”

The Yemeni coach continued: “There was collective negligence, and I bear responsibility.” We have already started talking to the players, but this match will not make me undo the work we have done, or return the team to what it was five years ago.”

Ould Ali pointed out that the lack of competitive matches for his players represents one of the challenges facing the team, and said: “Our players have not played even nine consecutive matches in the league, and therefore we must deal with this loss as a lesson for us, and benefit from it in what comes next.”

Hossam Hassan, the coach of the Egyptian national team, confirmed that the exclusion of Mohamed El-Shenawy, Al-Ahly’s goalkeeper, from the current camp’s roster came as a technical decision, stressing that no player guarantees his place in the ranks of the “Pharaohs.”

Hossam Hassan said, during the press conference held on Thursday to talk about the confrontation with Angola, scheduled for Friday in the first round of qualifiers for the 2027 African Cup of Nations, that excluding El-Shenawy comes within the choices of the technical staff.

He added: “These are purely the choices of the technical staff, and we are the ones who contributed to returning El-Shenawy to his level in previous times with the national team, just as we did with other players. I have never seen in football that the exclusion of a player turn into a crisis with the technical staff. The coach remains a coach, and the player remains a player.

He explained that the technical staff is working to establish clear rules within the team, based on giving and technical level, apart from the names of the players. He said: “There is no player guaranteed to be permanently in the national team. In previous periods, some players would inform their families of the dates of the camps seven or eight months before they started due to their confidence in the call-up, but now the only criterion is performance and brilliance on the field.

He pointed out that the technical staff selects its members based on careful and comprehensive follow-up, explaining that since assuming responsibility, he has been working to renew the team’s blood and reduce the age of the players, with the aim of building a team capable of competing in the coming years.

He added: “There are players who have high abilities in the local league, but they are not suitable for the international level, and vice versa. The technical staff has the vision and ability to select players capable of assuming the responsibility of international representation.”

Hossam Hassan confirmed the Egyptian team's readiness to face Angola despite the absences and injuries, stressing that the team is not looking for excuses before its matches. He said: “We are accustomed to the presence of injuries or a decline in the level of some players in more than one previous camp, but we are working with the maximum possible energy and within limited time frames, to ensure that all members of the team reach the best possible technical and physical condition as soon as we gather.”

He continued: “I am keen to deal with all players from both the psychological and physical aspects. The Egyptian national team is large and never stops when any player is injured, and I have absolute confidence in all the players present.”

The Egypt coach revealed that the medical team is continuing its attempts to prepare Haitham Hassan, the Scottish Celtic player, after the injury he recently suffered, in order to play in the upcoming matches.

Hossam Hassan spoke about the limited time available to prepare the players, saying: “This is our first camp in 80 days, and I gather the players only a night and a half before the match, which forces me to work intensively in record time. That is why I always ask to go to camps early to reach the required readiness.”

He also touched on the number of professional Egyptian players compared to the rest of the African continent's teams, stressing that the team relies more on elements of the local league. He said: “All African teams currently have two full teams of professional players in Europe, while we rely mainly on the local player. Despite this, I competed in the World Cup with a list mostly from the local league, which is a matter of pride for Egyptian football, and we have a serious desire to increase the number of professionals in the future.”