AL AIN // The UAE coach Dominique Bathenay will get to see his revamped squad in action for the first time when they face Iraq at the Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium in Al Qattara.
It is the first of the two friendlies for Bathenay's players before they head to Oman next week to begin their defence of the Gulf Cup.
And the Frenchman said, "These two games are really important for us. We need to find the right combinations and work on the areas in which we need to improve from these two matches.
"I would like to try out as many players as possible, now that we have some new players drafted into the squad. We are playing Iraq and Kuwait and I would like to think they are real matches as they too have come with the same purpose."
Bathenay has not named name his line-up but is expected to field both Mohammed Omar and Abdulasalam Jumaa, who were coaxed out of international retirement with a recall to the squad.
Jorvan Vieira, the Brazilian coach of Iraq, shared Bathenay's sentiments.
He added: "I have found it very difficult to get all my players together and this game will be the first time they have all got together in a long time."
The UAE will play Kuwait at the Al Nasr club's Al Maktoum Stadium on Tuesday before they fly to Oman on Jan 2.
They are in Group B at the Gulf Cup alongside Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Yemen, who they play in the second day of the competition on Jan 5.
apassela@thenational.ae
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
World Cup warm-up fixtures
Friday, May 24:
- Pakistan v Afghanistan (Bristol)
- Sri Lanka v South Africa (Cardiff)
Saturday, May 25
- England v Australia (Southampton)
- India v New Zealand (The Oval, London)
Sunday, May 26
- South Africa v West Indies (Bristol)
- Pakistan v Bangladesh (Cardiff)
Monday, May 27
- Australia v Sri Lanka (Southampton)
- England v Afghanistan (The Oval, London)
Tuesday, May 28
- West Indies v New Zealand (Bristol)
- Bangladesh v India (Cardiff)
2019 ASIA CUP POTS
Pot 1
UAE, Iran, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia
Pot 2
China, Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Qatar, Thailand
Pot 3
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, India, Vietnam
Pot 4
North Korea, Philippines, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Turkmenistan
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