The UAE are aware of the “big challenge” that awaits in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, but are not intimidated by their final-round group, according to assistant coach Salem Abdulrahman.
The national team were on Thursday drawn in Group A for the third stage of qualification, where they will take on Iran, South Korea, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon for a place at next year’s finals in Qatar.
Seeded in Pot 3 for the draw in Kuala Lumpur, the UAE need to finish in the top two to automatically progress to what would be only a second World Cup appearance in the country’s history.
However, should Bert van Marwijk’s side finish third, they enter a play-off against the third-placed team in Group B. The winner of that then advances to an intercontinental play-off for the final spot at the tournament.
The UAE, who last month advanced from the second round as winners of Group G, are scheduled to begin the campaign in early September, when they host Lebanon on September 2 before facing Syria away five days later. They conclude the third round in March with a double-header away to Iraq and at home to South Korea.
“It’s clear that it will be a big challenge to finish first or second in this very strong group,” Abdulrahman said. “We respect our opponents, but at the same time we are not afraid. It will be difficult, but we have a chance to qualify.
“I think we are ready. In June, we played four games and we won four; we scored 15 goals and were playing attacking football. We have our own style now and that’s giving us more confidence. We’re ready for that.”
Without doubt, in-form striker Ali Mabkhout will be central to the UAE’s chances of qualification. The country’s all-time leading scorer finished the second round top of the goal charts, with 11.
On Mabkhout, Abdulrahman said: “First of all, we are very happy with Ali Mabkhout. Ali is now 30 years old and he’s playing his best football ever. He’s breaking record after record and he played an important part in qualifying for the final round.
“But Ali is not only a great player, he is a leader who wants to win for the team and help the other players. For him, it doesn’t matter who scores, he helps a lot the team, he has a lot of assists. Ali’s very important for the team."
At 31st and 39th respectively, Iran and South Korea are currently ranked the second- and third-best teams in Asia, behind only Japan (28th). The UAE sit eighth in the continental standings, at 73rd.
For the South Koreans, they are attempting to reach an Asian football record-extending 10th consecutive World Cup.
Asked on Thursday about delivering upon the expectation to continue that, manager Paulo Bento said: “The pressure for the coaches will be every time present in all the moments, so this is one more moment to compete, to enjoy, respecting all the teams in our group.
"And, of course, we should think it will be a difficult group, a balanced group. But we will try to do our best and achieve our big goal: qualify to the World Cup in 2022.”
Iraq assistant coach Rahim Hameed, member of their last squad to reach a World Cup, in 1986, said: “With these six teams we are in the three strongest. I think we have a good chance in the group. I’m happy with this group because we know everything about these teams.”
