The UAE will have their work cut out for them if they plan on defending their Gulf Cup title as they’ve been drawn in the same group as the rivals they beat in last year’s semi-finals and final, Kuwait and Iraq.
The draw ceremony, which took place at Al Masak Palace in Riyadh last night revealed Oman as the fourth team rounding up Group B, while hosts Saudi Arabia have been drawn to face Yemen, Bahrain and Qatar in Group A.
The 22nd edition of the Gulf Cup is scheduled to begin on November 13 with the final set to take place on November 26.
The UAE clinched their second Gulf Cup in January 2013 when they defeated Iraq 2-1 in the final.
En route to the final, the Whites beat Qatar 3-1, hosts Bahrain 2-1, and Oman 2-0 in the group stage.
Mahdi Ali’s men then edged past Kuwait 1-0 in the semi-final before needing extra-time to defeat Iraq in the showcase.
The Gulf Cup will be the ideal prelude to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia where the UAE are tipped to make a big impression.
The Emirati squad will head to Austria today for a three-week training camp that will include friendly fixtures with Norway on August 27, Lithuania on September 3 and Paraguay on September 7.
Six Al Ain players – Omar Abdulrahman, Khalid Essa, Mohammed Ahmed, Mohammed Fawzi, Ismail Ahmed and Mohanad Salem – will not join the team until August 28 as they will be on club duty, facing Saudi’s Al Ittihad in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals over two legs on August 19 and 26.
Group A
Saudi Arabia
Yemen
Bahrain
Qatar
Group B
UAE
Iraq
Kuwait
Oman
