{
  "id": 12120724,
  "title": "“We have to play better”: Dalic’s message to UAE ahead of Gulf Cup final",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/we-have-to-play-better-dalics-message-to-uae-ahead-of-gulf-cup-final",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-05T09:24:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/sport/we-have-to-play-better-dalics-message-to-uae-ahead-of-gulf-cup-final-1.500698748"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai: Zlatko Dalic, the newfound coach of the UAE national football team, has been instrumental in leading them to the final of the Gulf Cup. While the Croatian coach is satisfied with his team’s recent achievements, he emphasizes the need for improvement and has encouraged his squad to elevate their performance against Saudi Arabia. Following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Oman, Ousmane Camara scored the decisive header in the 22nd minute. Throughout the tournament, the UAE has remained unbeaten, clinching the top spot in their group after victories over Yeman, Bahrain, and a draw against Oman. Despite reaching the final, Dalic acknowledges that his team missed several opportunities, including a crucial penalty, and stresses that a better showing against Saudi Arabia is crucial for their success. The host nation, Saudi Arabia, will enter the final with the advantage of a home crowd in Jeddah, making the match even more challenging for the UAE, a fact Dalic acknowledges.",
  "summary": "Dubai: Zlatko Dalic has made an immediate impact since taking charge of the UAE national football team, guiding them to the Gulf Cup final. But despite being pleased with his side’s progress, the Croatian insists there is still plenty of room for improvement and has challenged his players to raise their level against Saudi Arabia. The UAE booked their place in Tuesday night’s Gulf Cup final with…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}