The UAE team training yesterday ahead of today’s Asian Cup semi-final clash with South Korea.
The UAE team training yesterday ahead of today’s Asian Cup semi-final clash with South Korea.
The UAE team training yesterday ahead of today’s Asian Cup semi-final clash with South Korea.
The UAE team training yesterday ahead of today’s Asian Cup semi-final clash with South Korea.

Fitness tests crucial for UAE


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Mahdi Ali, the UAE Olympic team coach, is sweating over the fitness of Ahmed Khalil for today's Asian Games semi-final with South Korea in Guangzhou, China.

The Al Ahli striker is struggling to shake off a thigh injury and will have to undergo a late fitness test before he can be named in the starting line-up. Ali is already without Saad Surour, the defender, who has returned home with a knee injury that needs surgery. Mohammed Ahmed, another defender, has not recovered from an injury and has been ruled out. Theyab Awana, the midfielder who has missed the last two games, should be fit.

"Ahmed and Theyab have undergone intense treatment but they still will have to pass a fitness test in the morning of the match," Ali said.

The UAE are already guaranteed a shot at the bronze medal but Ali is setting his sights higher and believes his team have an excellent chance of going all the way in the competition.

"They have got better and better after every game and I would like to think they can carry on this momentum all the way to the end," Ali said. The coach has already masterminded the runs to glory for this group of players in the Under 16 Gulf Cup in 2006, the U19 Asian Cup in 2008 and the U23 Gulf Cup in August. They also reached the quarter-finals of the U20 World Cup in Egypt last year.

"The confidence in the camp is high after the win over North Korea," Ali said. "They are good signs as we prepare for another important game. We didn't have a good first game with Hong Kong [a 1-1 draw] but we have raised the bar from thereafter.

"I am very pleased at the progress of my players. The opposition has become stronger and stronger after every game but my players have shown real character to overcome the odds. This is a very good team."

Ali's players may also hold a psychological edge as South Korea, their opponents, were beaten earlier in the tournament by North Korea, the team the UAE beat, albeit on penalties, in the quarter-final. South Korea were also stretched in their last game before seeing off Uzbekistan 3-1 in extra time, the West Asian nation the UAE beat 3-0 in the group stage.

However, Ali was cautious not to draw too many conclusions from those games.

"The past results won't matter at this stage of the competition," he said. "It is a new game and South Korea are a side never to be taken lightly. They have a lot of experience in this type of competitions and will always be a very hard team to beat. But only one team can progress to the final and I wish it will be us."

Japan meet Iran in the other semi-final.

UAE v South Korea, 3pm on Abu Dhabi Sports 1

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

The biog

Name: Sarah Al Senaani

Age: 35

Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2

Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism

Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding

Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier

Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish