Mahdi Ali has team where he wants them

On this form, the UAE will not fear anyone left in the competition, not even hosts Saudi Arabia, who they will meet in the semi-final on Sunday. The confidence was always there. Now the performances and goals have started to flow, too.

Despite close marking from Humam Tariq, left, and other members of the Iraqi team, the UAE's Omar Abdulrahman, right, was able to work his magic in the midfield, something that should worry host Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Cup of Nations semi-final on Sunday. AFPShow less

This was more like it. The UAE that won last year's Gulf Cup are back.

After a dull first half, the UAE destroyed a sorry Iraqi team in the second.

With Oman humiliating Kuwait 5-0, UAE still finished second in Group B.

They will barely care about that.

On this form, they will not fear anyone left in the competition, not even hosts Saudi Arabia, who they will meet in the semi-final on Sunday.

The confidence was always there. Now the performances and goals have started to flow, too.

As the players and staff saluted the ecstatic fans at King Fahd Stadium last night, there was an unmistakable sense that this team is steadily approaching peak form.

The details, too, show things are falling into place, probably just at the time Mahdi Ali intended them to all along.

Up front, the early season drought has been banished by the brilliant form of Ali Mabkhout, now the tournament’s top scorer with four strikes.

Four sensational strikes.

In a tournament that has lacked excitement and goals, he has looked head and shoulders above most other strikers.

The UAE have found a new hero.

In midfield, Omar Abdulrahman is once again pulling the strings to devastating effect. Kuwait had few answers to his tricks, Iraq had none. He has improved each match, as Mahdi Ali insisted he would. Saudi Arabia will not be looking forward to facing the magical “Amoory”.

Apart from a few careless, anachronistic minutes against Kuwait, the defence too is growing in stature. Iraq barely troubled the dominant Muhanad Salem and Mohammed Ahmed, to allow the full-backs Walid Abbas and Sanqour to do what they do best, join the increasingly potent attack.

Mahdi Ali has every right to feel vindicated. His insistence on sticking with certain players, his tactics and even his substitutions have been questioned. There will be few doubters today.

Above all, he showed that he has many solutions up his sleeve and he is always thinking one step ahead. Even before half-time, he was seen giving Mohammed Abdulrahman and Habib Al Fardan directions; their introduction sparked the second half revival that Iraq had no response to.

There will be no triumphalism yet, of course. That is simply not this manager or team’s style. Mahdi Ali has always insisted that this squad, this “group”, has no “reserves”. Everyone is first choice is his mantra.

A first 11 finally firing on all cylinders. Substitutes seamlessly integrated. Unity and confidence. Who would bet against the champions retaining their title now?

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