Ahmed Khalil: UAE must take positives from draw with Bahrain in Asian Cup opener

Striker wants teammates to learn from Saturday's struggles in first game in Group A when they return to action against India on Thursday

United Arab Emirates' forward Ahmed Khalil, second left, celebrates after scoring a goal. AFP

Khalil, second left, scores a penalty. AFP

Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh calls for a penalty. AFP

Players of Bahrain celebrate a goal. EPA

Mohamed Saad Alromaihi of Bahrain scores their only goal. Getty Images

United Arab Emirates' goalkeeper Khalid Eisa saves in front of Bahrain's midfielder Jamal Rashed. AP Photo

United Arab Emirates' midfielder Bandar Mohammed jumps over Bahrain's defender Ahmed Ali Juma. AFP

United Arab Emirates' midfielder Khamis Esmaeel, left, and Bahrain's forward Mohamed Al Romaihi challenge for the ball. AP Photo

United Arab Emirates' coach Alberto Zaccheroni, right, gives his instructions. AFP

Ismail Al Hammadi of UAE in action against Waleed Al Hayam of Bahrain. EPA

Khalfan Mubarak of UAE in action against Kamil Al Aswad of Bahrain. EPA

Referee Adham Makhadmah gives yellow card to Ismaeel. AP Photo

Ali Ahmed Mabkhout of UAE in action against Hamad Mahmood Alshamsan, left, of Bahrain. EPA

United Arab Emirates' forward Ali Mabkhout al Hajeri, left, and Bahrain's midfielder Kamil Al Aswad challenge for the ball. AP Photo

United Arab Emirates' midfielder Ali Salmeen, left, and Bahrain's forward Mohamed Al Rohaini jump for the ball. AP Photo

Ismail Salem Alhammadi of UAE in action against players of Bahrain. EPA

Al Hamadi, left, and Bahrain's defender Walled Al Haayam challenge for the ball. AP Photo

Bandar Al Ahbabi of UAE in action. Getty Images

Ahmed Khalil says the UAE must take whatever positives they can from their disappointing Asian Cup opener with Bahrain as they seek a rapid response against India on Thursday.

The hosts, staging the tournament for only the second time in the country's history, needed a late penalty to salvage a draw against Bahrain in Abu Dhabi on Saturday in their opening Group A game.

Their Gulf neighbours appeared poised to upset Alberto Zaccheroni's side at Zayed Sports City Stadium, taking the lead in the 78th minute through Mohammed Al Romaihi’s goal.

However, the UAE were awarded a questionable penalty three minutes from time, which substitute Khalil coolly dispatched. The match marked the striker’s 100th appearance for his national team.

“Today was more important to not lose the game,” Khalil said afterwards. “The good thing is that we came back and the more important is we have to think about next game.

“Every player feels responsible for what’s gone on today and they think about the next game and to hopefully get three points, to see the solutions to get three points.”

The UAE were forced to toil for much of Saturday's proceedings in front of more than 33,000 supporters at Zayed Sports City.

Their preparations for the Asian Cup, expanded for the first time to 24 teams, had not been ideal, with injuries to key players headlined by Omar Abdulrahman’s absence, and their struggles in front of goal.

The UAE have now scored 12 goals in 19 matches since Zaccheroni was appointed in October 2017.

Khalil denied that the burden of being hosts had affected his side, who began brightly but then created very little.

“It’s not pressure,” Khalil said. “This is the first game and this is football. Sometimes you maybe don’t play well and you win. But in the tournament you have to give the maximum, you have to fight and you have to work more.

______________

Read more on 2019 Asian Cup:

In pictures: 2019 Asian Cup gets under way with opening ceremony

Syria vs Palestine emerges as the hottest ticket

With help from diaspora, Palestinians hope for Asian Cup surprise in UAE

Download: Get your 2019 Asian Cup wallchart

Talking points: Bravo AFC, China's marathon man and wounded Australia

In pictures: Syria football team train in Sharjah ahead of 2019 Asian Cup opener

______________

“This is how we came back and we can do it for the next game: see which solutions we go for to get three points and hopefully we come back.”

Although the result was not what he wanted, Khalil will have been satisfied with his cameo performance.

Introduced with nine minutes remaining and with the UAE looked square at defeat, the forward did enough to earn what could prove to be a vital point. He dispatched his spot-kick expertly, despite there being little time left on the clock.

"No big pressure because this is penalty is not for me only," Khalil said. "It’s for all the team: they play for the penalty, for any point in the game.

"We have to work more, because sometimes the game is difficult to score and we have to get the solution as to how you score.

"But the good thing today is the penalty came at a good time, we came back and we have to continue. We have to work more."

The UAE next face India at the same venue on Thursday, with Bahrain taking on Thailand in Dubai on the same day.