Lusail: The national teams of the UAE and Egypt look to seize victory when they meet tomorrow, Saturday, at Lusail Stadium in the second round of Group C matches at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, in a must-win clash for the two sides after a stuttering start. The Egyptian team entered the tournament with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Kuwait despite dominating most phases of the match, while the UAE team lost 1-2 to Jordan after playing most of the game with ten players following Khalid Al-Dhanhani's red card in the 19th minute.

According to Qatar News Agency, Egypt are in third place in the group with one point, level with Kuwait in second, while the UAE sit in fourth without points, making tomorrow's win crucial for them to keep their hopes alive before facing Kuwait in the final round. The UAE seek to recover from their initial setback, relying on the strong motivation gained from their impressive run in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Romanian coach Cosmin Olaroiu will depend on key names such as Ali Saleh, Yahya Al Ghassani, and Caio Lucas.

On the other side, the Egyptian team goes into the match with one clear goal: taking all three points, after a wave of criticism followed their draw with Kuwait and the players' missed chances. The technical staff, led by Helmy Tolaan, has worked on correcting mistakes and reorganizing the squad ahead of the UAE clash. Egypt have a notable history in the Arab Cup, as this is their sixth participation. They won the title in 1992 and reached the semifinals twice, most recently in the edition hosted by Qatar in 2021.

Tolaan will rely on a group of experienced players led by Mohamed Elneny of UAE's Al Jazira, along with Akram Tawfik, Mohamed Sherif, and Amr El-Sulaya, in addition to a number of new faces looking to prove themselves and secure a place in the senior national team in the future.