On December 24, 2024, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will face off against Kuwait in the second round of the Gulf Cup of Nations at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium at 19:30 Kyiv time. This match is highly anticipated due to the contrasting team forms and historical backgrounds.
The UAE team has been showcasing strong performances recently, especially during their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup, scoring 12 goals across six matches. They demonstrated their attacking prowess by overwhelmingly defeating Kuwait 5-0 earlier this year.
On the other hand, Kuwait is currently struggling, with no wins in their last ten matches (1 win out of 16 games this year). This consistent poor form raises questions about their ability to match the stronger UAE side. The team has struggled to maintain defensive solidity, frequently conceding goals, which could be exploited by UAE’s potent attack.
UAE's coach Paulo Bento, who has led the team since last year, hopes to continue the positive trend and capitalize on Kuwait's defensive vulnerabilities. Historically, UAE has often dominated encounters against Kuwait, with four wins and two draws out of the last six matches. The most recent match ended with UAE winning 1-0, solidifying their psychological advantage.
The upcoming match is expected to see UAE take the initiative, with predictions forecasting them scoring over 1.5 goals, particularly against Kuwait’s weak defense. Bookmakers have set odds favoring UAE to win without handicaps, and many analysts agree with this assessment.
Match statistics indicate UAE's corner kicks average higher than Kuwait’s, underlining their attacking control. Given these trends, betting on UAE's win with at least two goals scored seems compelling.
The expectations for the match are running high, as UAE aims for qualification points, and Kuwait desperately seeks to revive their campaign.
