Almost
30,000 fans flocked to Abu Dhabi's Mohammed bin Zayed stadium
at dusk yesterday looking to witness a huge step towards the realisation of a nation's dream.
"I came from Ajman with my children to show them history being made," said Mohammed Safwan, a 32-year-old Emirati father of three.
"When the UAE qualified to the 1990 World Cup I was 10. Those were memories I cannot forget. I want my kids to have the same feeling."
Two hours later,
screams and cheers erupted as the final whistle ignited celebrations all around the stadium
- and most likely all over the country.
Fans left the stadium and streamed into the streets to celebrate the 1-0 victory over Australia that leaves the UAE needing only a draw or a one-goal defeat next month in Uzbekistan to advance to the London Olympics.
"We overcame the major hurdle," Faisal Al Shihi said as he was leaving the stadium. "We are the winners and leaders."
Fans arrived to the stadium as early as two hours before the game.
By 5pm the north entrance, which is a two-level gallery, was closed off to the arriving fans.
"We will win this game and we will realise [Theyab] Awana's dream," said Ahmed Saeed, a trader from the northern Abu Dhabi suburb of Baniyas. Awana was a member of the Under 23 team who was killed in a car crash last September.
Saeed and two friends were praying as they walked to the stadium, full of confidence.
"We will make it to London and we will follow the 'whites' there," he said.
UAE officials had implored fans to come out and support the team, and they were not disappointed.
Marwan Bin Ghlaitha, the chairman of the Al Nasr Club board, was carried away by the atmosphere created by the 28,724 fans inside the stadium.
"The atmosphere is great and our people are always behind their teams," he said. "The boys play hard and hopefully they will get what they are looking for."
Fans drove to Abu Dhabi from all over the country. Yasir and Mohammed Qasim came from Fujairah, saying they wanted to respond to the calls for support of the Olympic team.
"We are avid supporters of Al Fujairah and we follow their progress through the second division closely, but we drove all the way to show our support after calls were made to do so," Yasir Qasim said.
Leading the crowd's cheers was the Al Wahda club's famed MC, Falooda, who was singing Emirati football songs, directing the numerous Mexican waves and giving the Australian team a partisan welcome.
The fans descended upon the Olyroos with claps and chants most of the crowd learnt before the game.
"We show them and tell them loudly and proudly ... Emarat! (UAE)," said Saeed, a nine year old sitting at the grandstand.
A few Australian supporters showed up at the game and were given a secured section to enjoy the match. "The crowd is great and they have a great voice on them which is making harder for our boys," said one of three Olyroo supporters who came dressed in green and yellow kanduras.
As the game progressed, UAE fans were clearly displeased by the striker Ahmed Khalil's early performance.
And their hearts dropped in the 14th minute when an Australian strike came close.
However, after that a steal by Khalil and a shot ignited the fans into cheers, and it wasn't long before every one went in to hysteria when Omar Abdulrahman scored the only goal of the game in the 23rd minute.
"You can see more than 10,000 prayers thanking God and this man around the stadium," said Al Shihi while pointing to the northern section of the stadium.
As the first half drew to a close, tempers started to flare on and off the field when Behich Aziz and Mathew Jurman tackled Abdelaziz Hussien and Ahmed Ali, respectively, on the section of the pitch near the grandstand.
"You can see the coach telling them to do that," said one fan in the grandstand. Others started jeering the Australian coach, asking him to calm his players.
During the second half most of the fans were standing or on the edge of their seats, reacting to every pass and move on the field. When the final whistle sounded, players hugged on the field and the fans cheered.
"I will prepare for London, as our players have shown us that they are worth the confidence we have placed in them," said Mohanad Al Memary, who travelled from Al Ain to watch the game. "I expect nothing less than a win in the next game, Inshallah."
