Paulo Bento’s start with the UAE could barely have gone any better.
Facing his first competitive assignment since his July appointment, the Portuguese built upon a trio of friendly victories with two wins to open qualification to the 2026 World Cup.
The UAE cast aside Nepal, as admittedly they were expected to do, in Dubai. Then they came through against Bahrain in Riffa, in what should represent the toughest test of their second-round campaign.
In triumphing 4-0 and 2-0, the national team sit top of Group H with maximum points and no goals conceded. It extended Bento’s winning streak with his new side to five.
For sure, as the second-lowest ranked side of Round 2, and at 173rd in the Fifa standings more than 100 spots below their hosts, Nepal provided a welcome introduction to competitive life for the UAE manager.
After slowly working their way into the contest at Al Maktoum Stadium, by half-time the UAE were four goals to the good. Points secure, and with Bahrain to come five days later, Bento rested some of his starters and offered opportunities to others.
But it was in Bahrain where it felt like Bento began to truly stamp his authority on the team. Much to the majority's surprise, Bento dropped captain Ali Mabkhout, the UAE’s all-time top scorer, to the bench. Against Nepal, Mabkhout had added another two goals to his international tally.
Yet Bento opted for Al Ain loanee Sultan Adil, who, at just 19, was making his full debut for the UAE. Fabio De Lima, another of the country’s chief attacking threats and scorer of the fourth against Nepal, was also named among the substitutes.
However, it worked. Adil led the line well, offering the UAE a real physical presence up front. Mabkhout even came off the bench late on to net the game’s second goal, making safe the result. Bento's judgement call was justified.
So, qualification double-header expertly negotiated, and the road to World Cup 2026 paused until March, attention shifts now to matters closer to home.
The 2023 Asian Cup, relocated and thus rescheduled, takes place in Qatar from January 12. Drawn in Group C alongside Iran, Hong Kong and Palestine, the UAE have not been granted the easiest of passages to the knockout stages. Hosts Qatar, the reigning champions, could wait in the last 16.
After semi-final appearances in the past two tournaments – a vibrant UAE took bronze in Australia in 2015, but the 2019 side were beaten heavily at their home event by Qatar – a similar target, or even better, has been mooted.
Caution, though, should be exercised. By the time the UAE open their Asian Cup bid against Hong Kong on January 14, Bento will have been in position for six months; still then, those matches against Nepal and Bahrain would mark his only two official games with the national team.
Patently, and despite the fast start, the UAE remain very much a work in progress. In defence, Khalifa Al Hammadi looks a settled presence in the centre, but his partnership with Khalid Al Hashemi clearly needs time. Multiple options are required, also, at left-back; Abdullah Idris, the enterprising Al Jazira defender, looked shaky this past week in the qualifying double-header.
In front of the backline, Ali Salmeen and Abdullah Ramadan were reunited for the Bahrain encounter. Preferred by Bert van Marwijk, one of Bento’s many recent predecessors, they appear the most reliable axis in central midfield.
Keeping Salmeen fit, however, has been a worry dating back to qualification for Qatar 2022. Salmeen, 28, has started three of Al Wasl’s seven league matches this season. Of the options to replace him, Yahia Nader, who played against Nepal in Salmeen’s absence, and Majid Rashid have yet to show they deserve to usurp the Wasl stalwart.
Fortunately for Bento, he has no lack of competent options in attack. The hope is a long-standing overreliance on Mabkhout – with 84 goals for the UAE, he sits some way out in front as record holder – has been reduced somewhat by the emergence of Adil, albeit still largely unproved, and Caio Canedo’s ability to play centrally.
In behind, or out wide, Bento can call upon De Lima, Ali Saleh, Yahya Al Ghassani and Tahnoun Al Zaabi. Harib Abdallah, meanwhile, might well be the standout youngster in what continues to be transitional team. Much is expected of the Shabab Al Ahli winger, still a few days short of his 21st birthday.
UAE supporters are right to be buoyed by the beginning of Bento's tenure, although you suspect the former Portugal and South Korea manager will most certainly not be getting carried away. Expectation must be tempered, especially now the UAE fix their focus on a testing Asian Cup quest.
Given the past four years of upheaval - Bento is the UAE's sixth permanent manager in that time - progress, slow and steady, would be an appreciated path to plot.
Bahrain 0-2 UAE - in pictures
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The UAE's Ali Mabkhout celebrates after scoring their second goal from the penalty spot in the 2-0 World Cup qualifier victory against Bahrain at Bahrain National Stadium on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. Reuters -
The UAE's Ali Mabkhout celebrates after scoring their second goal with teammates. Reuters -
UAE players celebrate the opening goal against Bahrain. Photo: UAE FA -
UAE's Caio Canedo, left, takes the game to Bahrain. Photo: UAE FA -
UAE's Harib Abdalla takes a shot on against Bahrain. Photo: UAE FA -
Bahrain's Amine Benaddi tries to stop a UAE attack. Photo: UAE FA -
UAE goalscorer Abdalla Ramadan gets on the ball. Photo: UAE FA -
Sultan Adil runs with the ball for the UAE in Bahrain. Photo: UAE FA -
Sultan Adil takes the game to Bahrain. Photo: UAE FA
