Caio Canedo, the UAE forward, says the national team still believe they can qualify for the World Cup, even if the route to get there has now changed.
A goalless draw with Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night sent the Central Asian side directly to the finals in United States, Canada and Mexico next year.
The UAE will instead face an extra phase of the qualifying process. They will play in a three-team pool over the course of a week in October, alongside two other third or fourth placed sides from the third round of Asian qualifying. The winners of that will go to the World Cup.
Those will be the 13th and 14th matches the UAE will have played in the convoluted competition structure in Asia.
Even then, it is possible the process could be extended into an extra two rounds. The second placed sides in October’s tournament will then face play-offs to make it into an intercontinental tournament which will decide the final qualifiers for the World Cup.
Despite the seemingly never-ending journey, Canedo said the UAE “project” still feels new. That is because of the belated arrival of Cosmin Olaroiu as coach, in a move which has apparently infused the squad with new belief.
Candeo spoke after Thursday's goalless draw against Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi that left them third in Group A of Asian qualifying. His comments came before the Football Association on Sunday stood down two of his teammates, Khaled Al Dhanhani and Sultan Adil, from the squad travelling to Kyrgyzstan for Tuesday’s final match for an unspecified “violation”.
“There is a feeling of disappointment because only the victory mattered, but we can still go to the World Cup, just in a different way,” Canedo said.
“If you see the players now, nobody is happy. But we have to believe in the project, we have to believe in the new coach, a great coach with new ideas.
“It is still the beginning, with a new project and ideas and we are all working together. We have got to keep going. We still have another way to go through.”
Canedo, the Al Wasl forward, was introduced late on against Uzbekistan as the home side tried to find a way through a resolute backline.
They fell short, though, as the visitors secured the point they needed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time.
“We knew it would be difficult,” Canedo said. “We were very optimistic to win, and I think the team played a good game.
“We fought, and the circumstances of the game meant they would play with five [at the back], tall guys, who were physically strong.
“We had chances, and they just had one when they hit the post. We are building an identity, a new project, new idea, new formation and new players.
“We need time. Of course, we don’t have this time, but we need it. There are no excuses, we just have to keep working hard, talk less, and we still have a chance to go through.”
Canedo, Hareb Abdullah and Yahya Al Ghassani were all introduced as second-half substitutes. Each of them has had an impact on the UAE’s qualifying campaign, even though they were light on game time for their club sides at times last season.
For his first match in charge, Olaroiu brought Ali Saleh and Majed Hassan back into the starting line up after long absences.
Each has been playing regularly in the UAE Pro League; Saleh as captain of Al Wasl, and Hassan in the engine room of Olaroiu’s Sharjah side who were runners-up to Shabab Al Ahli.
Olaroiu said after the draw against Uzbekistan the absence of national team players from club duty is a problem that needs to be solved.
“When we thought about the starting game, we thought about the players who play regularly in their clubs, because they have to have minutes in their legs,” Olaroiu said.
“That is one thing we have to have in consideration when we select the first XI. We need the players to play and this is a problem. Some of the players don’t play too much in their clubs.”
The UAE will face Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek on Tuesday in their last match in this phase of Asian qualifying.
England squads for Test and T20 series against New Zealand
Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Dominic Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes
T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: six-litre W12 twin-turbo
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch auto
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh940,160 (plus VAT)
On sale: Q1 2020
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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Results
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh195,000 1,400m | Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Al Shamkhah, Royston Ffrench, Sandeep Jadhav
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m | Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,200m | Winner: Kawasir, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 1,600m | Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
9.20pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 2,000m | Winner: Quartier Francais, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels