The 18th Arabian Gulf Cup concluded in a stunning1-0 win for the United Arab Emirates over Oman in the final. The UAE waited for more than 35 years to engrave their name in the regional Roll of Honour list that was previously the exclusive club of Kuwait (9 times), Saudi Arabia (3), Iraq (3) and Qatar (2). It was a piece of football history the nation wanted very dearly since UAE’s qualification to the 1990 FIFA World Cup and then reaching the last eight of the FIFA Youth World Cup, which they hosted in 2003.
The Cup triumph was also personal milestones for skipper Mohammed Omar, 32, who announced his retirement from international duty for his country. “There are several good memories but to win the first Gulf Cup for the UAE beats them all. I wanted to go out on a high and this was the best way to go,” the veteran striker told Amith Passela and Hisham Al Gizouli of the Khaleej Times.