East Timor 0 UAE 1
UAE Omar Abdulrahman 80'
Man of the match Omar Abdulrahman (UAE)
KUALA LUMPUR // Mahdi Ali said the performance was secondary to the result after the UAE opened their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory against East Timor.
The Emirati side struggled to break down their opponents at Malaysia’s Shah Alam Stadium on Tuesday, but were provided a winning start in Group A through Omar Abdulrahman’s 80th-minute strike.
The UAE were heavy favourites, since East Timor sit 146th in the Fifa rankings – 73 places below them. However, played in stifling conditions and arriving immediately after an arduous domestic campaign, the match proved more difficult than the UAE originally anticipated.
Read more:
– Football Association expect strong response from UAE in 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying opener
– Photo gallery: UAE squad go through their paces ahead of 2018 World Cup qualifier with East Timor
“The result was very good for us because we came here to win and achieved it,” Mahdi Ali said. “That’s the most important thing. As I said after the Asian Cup, in two years these players haven’t had a rest.
“There are some players who didn’t play for maybe one month and you cannot keep the performance at game level if you don’t play every week. That’s not possible. Although I spoke about this, no action was taken.
“The most important thing is we won in these circumstances. I’d like to thank the players for all their effort - they fought until the end. Now we have to close this chapter. We have one month rest and then we have to think about the coming games in September.”
Other than the victory, Abdulrahman’s performance was perhaps the only positive. The Al Ain playmaker was again his side’s creative fulcrum and capped a competent display with a fine long-range effort to secure the points.
Photo gallery:
– UAE get past East Timor to win their first 2018 World Cup qualifier
Mahdi Ali commended the collective, although he did single out Abdulrahmans’s work ethic – a consequence, Mahdi Ali said, of the midfielder’s abbreviated club season.
“For me, the whole team is important, it’s not one player,” he said. “If a player scores a goal, it’s the effort of all the team. But I think Omar did well today, he was fighting. He played only [11] league games last season. That proves what I’m saying about the players being tired. We have seen Omar probably run more than anyone today.”
Fabio Magrao, East Timor’s coach, had identified Abdulrahman as the UAE’s danger man. Yet despite the defeat, the Brazilian was content with his side’s work this past week: on Thursday, East Timor began the group with a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Malaysia.
“We know the quality of the UAE, who had more possession although we had defensive control and made a few chances,” Magrao said. “But we knew Omar could change the game – I told [midfielder Ebi] to stay with Omar, even if he’s going to the toilet, because I knew he had the quality to finish the game. In a minute, [Ebi] lost concentration and Omar turned and scored.
“I’m proud of my players because we met just a few days before and got what felt like victory against Malaysia. Now we fought for the whole game against one of the biggest teams in the region.”
East Timor v UAE report card
East Timor 6/10 – Not much was expected from the Southeast Asians, but they defended resolutely and almost snatched a second successive draw. Created a few chances on the counter.
UAE 6/10 – Mahdi Ali's mens struggled to continually carve out decent chances, often peppering the opposition goal with shots from distance. Looked tired, even though they enjoyed the majority of possession.
The National verdict The UAE will be glad to have gotten this match out of the way, especially since it came on the back of a lengthy season. Were nowhere near their best, but saved by Abdulrahman's brilliance.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at NatSportUAE
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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