FC Palm City 1-1 Dibba Al-Hisn: UAE President Cup Match Report

FC Palm City and Dibba Al-Hisn played out a fiercely competitive 1-1 draw in the United Arab Emirates President Cup on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. The match, which kicked off at 22:40, produced a tense, end-to-end cup tie at the Palm City Arena, with both sides trading spells of control before settling for a share of the spoils. Dibba Al-Hisn struck first, but FC Palm City responded in the second half to ensure the scoreline finished level.

The result adds another intriguing chapter to the recent head-to-head record between the two clubs, and it leaves both teams with plenty to reflect on as the President Cup campaign moves forward. For neutrals, it was a contest that combined tactical discipline with late drama and a handful of standout individual performances.

Match Overview

From the opening whistle, Dibba Al-Hisn looked compact and dangerous on the counter, while FC Palm City tried to impose themselves through patient possession and overlapping runs from full-back. The visitors drew first blood midway through the first half, capitalising on a loose pass in midfield and moving the ball quickly into the attacking third.

FC Palm City grew into the game after the interval. Their manager made two attacking substitutions just before the hour mark, and the changes shifted the momentum. The equaliser arrived in the 74th minute, and from that point on, both teams pushed for a winner. Dibba Al-Hisn came closest to snatching all three points late on, but a superb stop from the Palm City goalkeeper kept the score at 1-1.

Key Moments

• 12th minute: Dibba Al-Hisn created the first meaningful chance when Salem Al-Hammadi curled a low effort narrowly wide of the far post.
• 27th minute: The opening goal arrived. Mohamed Al-Shehhi slipped a clever pass between the centre-backs, and Al-Hammadi kept his composure to finish low into the bottom corner for Dibba Al-Hisn.
• 41st minute: FC Palm City nearly responded before the break. Rafael Costa met a deep cross with a firm header, but Hassan Al-Balushi produced a sharp save to preserve the visitors' lead.
• 58th minute: FC Palm City made a double change, introducing fresh legs in midfield and wide areas. The tempo immediately increased.
• 74th minute: The equaliser finally came. Lucas Ferreira delivered an inviting corner, and Rafael Costa rose highest to power a header past Al-Balushi.
• 88th minute: Dibba Al-Hisn almost won it. Al-Hammadi burst into the box and forced Khalid Al-Mansoori into a brilliant one-handed save.
• 90+3rd minute: FC Palm City survived one final scramble, with Bruno Nascimento hooking the ball clear after a goalmouth pinball.

Tactical Story

Dibba Al-Hisn set up with a compact 4-2-3-1 shape, looking to absorb pressure and spring forward through the pace of Al-Hammadi and the link play of Al-Shehhi. Their plan worked well for the first hour, as they limited FC Palm City to half-chances and looked the more incisive side on the break.

FC Palm City, by contrast, used a possession-heavy approach, with Omar Al-Junaibi dictating from deep and the full-backs pushing high to stretch the Dibba defence. The turning point came when Palm City's coach changed the attacking dynamic with fresh wingers. That allowed Ferreira to find more space on the left, and his set-piece delivery ultimately unlocked a stubborn back line. Dibba Al-Hisn will feel they defended well for long periods, but the inability to clear the corner proved costly.

Standout Players

Rafael Costa (FC Palm City): The forward was quiet in the first half but grew in influence after the break. His equalising header was the moment of the match for the home side, and he also drew defenders away to create space for late runners.

Salem Al-Hammadi (Dibba Al-Hisn): The attacker was a constant threat with his direct running and intelligent movement. He took his goal confidently and remained the visitors' most dangerous outlet until the final whistle.

Khalid Al-Mansoori (FC Palm City): The goalkeeper made a crucial late save that preserved the draw. His handling under pressure in the final minutes was calm and decisive.

Mohamed Al-Shehhi (Dibba Al-Hisn): The midfielder provided the assist for the opener and controlled the tempo for long stretches. His ability to turn defence into attack gave Dibba Al-Hisn a real platform.

What the Draw Means

The 1-1 scoreline keeps both clubs' UAE President Cup ambitions alive and underlines how finely matched they were on the night. FC Palm City will take confidence from their second-half response, while Dibba Al-Hisn