The match will kick off at 5.30pm. The 2023 finalists have impressed by topping Group A, with a win over Qatar and draws against Kuwait and UAE, and are focussed on facing a star-studded Saudi side that has improved with every match since their opening defeat to Bahrain.
“The match will be a very tough semi-final,” said Rasheed at the eve-of-match press conference. “We respect Saudi Arabia. They have distinguished players and a big history. But we need effort from our players who must concentrate for the full 90 minutes because this match will be decided on the small details and mental strength of the players.”
Several injuries are hampering the Omani preparations, but, again, the coach is not making excuses and believes his side can go all the way in Kuwait and win their third Gulf crown this week. The last coming in 2018. “Irrespective of our line-up, I trust all of my players. Our target is to qualify for the final though after all the work and effort that we have done in the past days. We are ready for the potential to play 90 minutes, 120 mins or even the penalties. Mental concentration will be the main factor for the players.”
Meanwhile, winger Marwan al-Sahafi has arrived in Kuwait to bolster Saudi Arabia ahead of the semi-final.
Al-Sahafi has arrived from his Belgian club Beerschot who have started their winter break, but his head coach, Herve Renard, has not revealed whether the 20-year-old will start.
“I don’t know what will be my next 11,” Renard told media at the eve-of-match press conference. “I want to find the best 11 to start, but also to finish because we can make five substitutions.”
After losing their opening match to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia edged past Yemen and then returned to form with their impressive 3-1 win over Iraq to qualify for the last four, and keep their hopes of a fourth Gulf title alive.
Playmaker Salem al-Dawsari played a leading role in that win, and the coach paid tribute to his Al Hilal skipper who a doubt was coming into the tournament.
“Salem broke his nose and wasn’t supposed to play here until the semi-final, if we qualified,” said Renard. “But he decided to come in against Bahrain and this was a fantastic message to the youth players because when this kind of player shows this level of determination, all the squad will follow.”
Bahrain coach hopes to out-fox his predecessor in Kuwait clash Bahrain head coach Dragan Talajic believes he can outfox his predecessor Juan Pizzi who is now in charge of the Kuwait side that he faces in the second semi-final tonight (kick off 8.45pm). Talajic praised Pizzi as an “excellent coach who I have huge respect for” and admitted that the Argentinean knows his players just as well as he does.
“My full respect for Mr Pizzi for all his work with Bahrain,” said Talajic at the eve-of-match press conference. “He is a very good coach. He was working with my boys before me and knows everything about us. But tomorrow is not a game between Pizzi and Dragan.
On his part, Kuwait head coach Jian Pizzi is giving nothing away ahead of the showdown. A capacity 57,000 crowd is expected at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium to watch the host nation come up against a Bahrain team that has impressed in Kuwait, but lost their last Group B encounter to Yemen.
“Every team has positive and negatives, and we have analysed their team but I will not share my style of play here today or give anything away,” he said. “What I can say is that we will fight in order to achieve the best result for Kuwait.”
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