Midfielder Khamis Esmail conceded that nerves played a part in the UAE’s failure to open the 2019 Asian Cup with a victory.
The home side were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Bahrain at Zayed Sports City Stadium on Saturday night – the first time the Emirates has hosted the continent's showpiece tournament since 1996.
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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
It required an Ahmed Khalil penalty two minutes from time to rescue a point, with the UAE facing India on Thursday knowing nothing less than a win would suffice. They round off their Group A account against Thailand four days later. The top two teams are guaranteed progression to the last 16.
Against Bahrain, a disjointed UAE fielded a number of players with limited senior international experience, including full-backs Bandar Al Ahbabi and Al Hassan Saleh, and midfielders Khalfan Mubarak and Saif Rashid.
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“We have some mistakes to fix to go into the coming match against India and achieve the victory and compensate the result against Bahrain,” said Esmail, a mainstay of the UAE squad for much of the past six years. “We have to fix all the problems that emerged in the Bahrain match.
“Some were because some of the players were scared since it was the first time for them to play at this level. Always opening matches are very difficult, especially for the new players. Bahrain were very strong and they were effective in their performance, and this made our job more difficult.
“Always in the first game in any competition you find some problems, but hopefully it will get better. There is a pressure. We have four players who maybe this is the first time they play, but God willing in the next game we play without pressure, without anything.”
Esmail vowed that the UAE would respond to Saturday’s disappointment. He also said that Thursday’s match against India, once more to take place at Zayed Sports City, represented a must-win encounter for Alberto Zaccheroni’s men.
“We have to do better in the next game,” he said. “This game is now in the past and now we have to focus on the matches against India and Thailand. These two teams are very strong and we have to be better than today.
“We have to focus more, to be together more and hopefully we will be better. Sure, we have to win.”
