KUWAIT CITY — UAE head coach Paulo Bento has downplayed the notion of his team being favorites ahead of their second Group A match against hosts Kuwait in the Khaleeji Zain 26 (Arabian Gulf Cup) at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Tuesday.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference held at the Crowne Plaza, Bento emphasized that labels such as "favorites" do not influence his team’s preparation or add pressure.

With all four teams in Group A tied on one point after the opening matches, the UAE coach expects a challenging encounter against Kuwait.

"Being called favourites doesn’t help our preparation, at least I don’t think much on that,” Bento said.

“It’s not important to be favourites or not in this competition, as anything can happen. I don’t feel more pressure because of it. We make our normal preparation, but I cannot control the expectations and opinions of others."

Bento, participating in the Arabian Gulf Cup for the first time, acknowledged the unique challenges of the competition, particularly the limited time between matches, but drew on his technical staff’s experience from major tournaments like the World Cup, Euros, and Asian Cup.

The UAE, who drew their opening game 1-1 with Qatar, now face a Kuwaiti team that also shared a 1-1 draw with Oman.

Bento highlighted the difficulty of playing against the home side, praising Kuwait’s tactical flexibility and their ability to create attacking opportunities.

"It is going to be a difficult game," Bento said. “Playing against a home team is always challenging due to various factors. Kuwait’s wingers are capable of creating imbalances in the game, and they use a direct approach to capitalize on second balls. Defensively, they show good intensity, pressing higher at times and sitting back at others. They also employ different tactical systems.”

Bento stressed that while respecting Kuwait’s strengths, the UAE would stick to their playing style, adapting as necessary to counter their opponent.

“We will play in our style but with the capability to adapt to face the opponent who deserves our respect. We expect a difficult game, but we should be ambitious to try and win to stay in a good position in the group."

The match is crucial for both sides as they look to gain an edge in the tightly contested Group A standings. — SG