UAE coach Mahdi Ali’s passing fancy at the Asian Cup

Japan and UAE are exponents of the same passing game.

UAE coach Mahdi Ali. UAE FA

SYDNEY // If Mahdi Ali’s UAE are students of the passing game, then Japan are the masters, and it is the Asian Cup champions whom the Emiratis must overcome today to reach their goal of the tournament semi-finals.

“We have seen how Japan play,” Mahdi Ali said yesterday. “They have an identity. They play an open and possession game. We are the same.

“I think the Japan team are good; most of them play in Europe. They have the experience, mentality, the tactics. But we have played many games against similar teams and done well.”

Japan have been the best side in Asia for most of two decades. They have qualified for every World Cup since 1998 and have won four of the past six Asian Cups, including the 2011 tournament in Qatar.

Their coach, Javier Aguirre, yesterday did not seem particularly concerned about the UAE.

“The UAE have some good players,” he said. “There are three or four players who can play well with the ball and the goalkeeper is good. It’s not fair to name them, but they are a competitive team.

“We respect our opponent, but we are strong enough to win the game.”

Japan did not concede a goal while winning a group that included Iraq, Jordan and Palestine. The UAE were second in their group after losing 1-0 to Iran, and Mahdi Ali stressed the importance of scoring first.

“Maybe Japan have not been tested,” he said.

The UAE will play without left-back Walid Abbas, who is suspended for picking up a second caution. He will be replaced by Abdulaziz Haikal, a regular in the age-group sides Mahdi Ali coached before taking over the senior side in 2012.

The match will be played in Sydney’s enormous Stadium Australia, capacity 84,000.

Most pundits expect a Japan victory, but the UAE coach said his team play best against elite opposition.

“We always put in big performances in big games,” Mahdi Ali said. “We played well in the Olympics. The players perform better in bigger games. Having been with this team for a long time, we share many things and we understand each other.”

Japan have several international stars, including forwards Keisuke Honda and Shinji Okazaki, who play for AC Milan and Mainz, respectively, and captain Makoto Hasebe, a midfielder with Eintracht Frankfurt, who will be among those who will mark Omar Abdulrahman, the UAE playmaker.

The match is arguably the biggest of Mahdi Ali’s reign, and for many of his young squad.

“Any game is important; even in friendlies, I like to win,” the coach said. “Of course, this is very important as it gets us to semi-final.

“We have a great generation which we have prepared for nine years. When I took over I said reaching the last four was our goal, and hopefully we will reach our target.”