UAE coach Mahdi Ali is going ‘back to the drawing board’ for 2018 World Cup qualifying

Mahdi Ali blamed the fitness and focus of his players for the defeat in Saudi Arabia and promised supporters to look for a different team for their remaining four games in the group, writes Amith Passela.

UAE football coach Mahdi Ali says he will look at ways to improve the side before their next Group A game, against East Timor on November 12. Photo Courtesy UAE FA

Coach Mahdi Ali says the UAE’s defeat to Saudi Arabia in Thursday’s away game in Asian 2018 World Cup qualifying is not the end of the road for their ambitions to play in the finals.

"We are only at the halfway stage in the group games. Three of our next four matches are at home. We'll try to win them all," the Emirati said after a 2-1 defeat in the Group A match in Jeddah, which leaves them in second place and five points adrift of the Saudis at the top of the table.

“It happens sometimes in football. A team may be going through a tough period.

“We didn’t perform as well as we wanted to. We have the second round ahead of us, and we will make up for it then.”

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Mahdi Ali blamed the fitness and focus of his players for the defeat and promised supporters to look for a different team for their remaining four games in the group, with their concluding match being the re-match with the Saudis on March 29.

“We conceded the two goals at crucial periods of the game due to lack of concentration,” he said. “The Saudi players were fitter and played better. They pushed us right up to the end to come back from a goal down. So congratulations to them.”

Mahdi Ali says he will look at ways to improve the side before their next Group A game, against East Timor on November 12.

“It is back to the drawing board,” he said. “We need to regroup and work on the areas we need to improve. And with more hard work, we can hopefully still achieve our objectives.”

Ahmed Khalil had given the UAE a great start with an 18th-minute goal from a 30-yard free-kick. However, Mohammed Al Sahlawi scored twice for the hosts – the first shortly before half time and the winner a penalty coming in the final seconds – to ensure the UAE suffered their first defeat of the competition.

“We didn’t even expect that,” UAE winger Rashid Essa said. “It happens that we sometimes want to give our best and it just doesn’t come through.”

While the UAE remain second in the group, the pressure is on for them, with only the top side from each group guaranteed a spot in the next phase of qualifying.

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