Yahya Al Ghassani's efforts went in vain as the UAE had to settle for a 1-1 draw in their final group game of the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/12/19/arabian-gulf-cup-2025-fixtures-how-to-watch-and-all-you-need-to-know/" target="_blank">Arabian Gulf Cup</a> against Oman on Friday, dashing their hopes of making it to the semi-finals. Following a <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/12/26/paulo-bento-optimistic-uae-can-still-reach-arabian-gulf-cup-semi-finals/" target="_blank">dull start to the tournament </a>where Paulo Bento’s side earned a solitary point from two games after a 1-1 draw with Qatar and 2-1 defeat against hosts Kuwait, the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/12/23/paulo-bento-plays-down-uaes-arabian-gulf-cup-favourites-tag-ahead-of-kuwait-clash/" target="_blank">UAE had their task cut out </a>as they not only needed a win but required the other match in the group - between Kuwait and Qatar - to go their way as well. At the start of the game, things began to fall into place for UAE as Shabab Al Ahli star Al Ghassani put the team ahead in the 20th minute. UAE held the advantage for the next hour and seemed like taking all three points and securing a passage to the next round. But Oman, who only needed a draw from the fixture, hit back in the 80th minute with Abudulrahman Al Mushaifiri scoring the equaliser to dash UAE's hopes. The UAE had a golden opportunity to win the match outright in added time when they were awarded a penalty. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/11/19/fabio-de-lima-fires-four-as-uae-thrash-qatar-to-roar-back-into-contention-for-2026-world-cup-spot/" target="_blank">Fabio De Lima</a> went up to the penalty spot with the fate of their tournament hanging in the balance. However, his attempt was kept out by Oman goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini, leaving the Emirati supporters distraught. UAE ended up in third place in Group A with one defeat and two draws, handing another tough result to Bento, whose team entered the tournament high on confidence. They had beaten <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/11/14/uae-breathe-life-into-2026-world-cup-qualifying-bid-with-dominant-victory-over-kyrgyzstan-in-abu-dhabi/" target="_blank">Kyrgyzstan 3-0</a> and <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/11/19/fabio-de-lima-fires-four-as-uae-thrash-qatar-to-roar-back-into-contention-for-2026-world-cup-spot/" target="_blank">Qatar 5-0</a> in successive World Cup qualifiers to suggest they were well placed to aim for the Gulf title for a third time, having previously lifted the trophy in 2007 and 2013. However, it was not to be, much to the disappointment of the sizeable UAE crowd that had turned up at the Sulaibikhat Stadium in Kuwait. Still, Al Ghassani emerged as one of the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/12/21/arabian-gulf-cup-uae-battle-back-to-snatch-draw-against-qatar/" target="_blank">few bright spots</a> for the national team in the tournament; the UAE had fought back from a goal down thanks to Al Ghassani to grab a 1-1 draw against Qatar in their Arabian Gulf Cup opener. After defeat in the previous game against hosts Kuwait, manager Bento had admitted his team had made the task difficult for themselves. "We are in a situation that we created ourselves in the two games we played and must try to win and then wait for the result of the other game to know our fate,” the Portuguese manager had said on Thursday. “We are in this situation because of our own faults." As it turned out, the challenge proved too difficult to overcome. In the other match of the night, Kuwait were held to a 1-1 draw by Qatar. The result was enough for Kuwait to qualify for the semi-finals along with Oman as the top two teams in the group with five points each.