Yousef Al Serkal, the Football Association president, has backed the UAE to rise to the challenge of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
Mahdi Ali’s men were given a difficult final route to the tournament in Russia following Tuesday’s draw for the third round of qualification in Kuala Lumpur, placed in Group B alongside Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Thailand. Group A comprises Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, Qatar and Syria.
The top two sides in each pool automatically advance to the World Cup, while the third-placed team in each group faces one another in a play-off before the winner moves onto a deciding two-legged clash with a team from Concacaf.
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The UAE, who have only once before appeared at a World Cup, in 1990, begin with a tough double-header in the first week of September, where they travel to Japan before hosting Australia – the two group favourites.
With regular sparring partners Saudi Arabia also to come, it will take another huge effort for UAE to book a place at the global finals in two years’ time.
Al Serkal remains convinced the team can continue to defy expectation, though, especially because in 2012 they qualified for a first Olympic Games, then lifted a second Gulf Cup of Nations crown the following year and also took bronze at last year’s Asian Cup, their best performance on foreign soil.
“The UAE’s group is relatively harder than the other group, but in the end that is the draw and we must deal with what is there,” Al Serkal said.
“Our confidence in this generation of players is great. They have always been up to the challenge in all the competitions that they participated in, from youth level to the Olympics and now the first team.
“Our trust in coach Mahdi Ali is continuing and has never been shaken, as well as with the players and support staff. The UAE FA stands in support of them to provide everything they need, especially since the coming period requires all of us to rally around the team. We will work on the preparation to reach the required level, because this is a key period in reaching the World Cup.”
Mohanad Salem, the Al Ain defender, said the UAE know exactly the task that awaits them.
Salem was part of the team that played both Japan and Australia at last year’s Asian Cup, with the Emirates defeating Japan on penalties in the quarter-finals before losing 2-0 in the last four to hosts Australia. Ange Postecoglu’s side went on to capture the title.
“I believe the national team can give their best performances to achieve strong results,” Salem said.
“We have faced Australia and Japan previously, so we know how they play. Of course, this stage of qualification contains all the best teams in Asia and so it’s normal for all the matches to be difficult, but we have the will to win the games and qualify for the World Cup.
“We will try to make our fans, our Rulers and all the people of the UAE happy by seeing the UAE at a World Cup.”
Khalfan Mubarak, Al Jazira’s young playmaker, is hoping to graduate to Mahdi Ali’s squad in time for the final round of qualifying, adding: “It’s not just me who wants to be the in the team to be part of this challenge, there are other people from other clubs fighting hard to be there.
“But I will try my best to be considered for selection.
“We will do our best and the national team have already shown in the Asia Cup they are a strong side and can play well in top games. Hopefully they can do it and qualify for the World Cup.”
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