UAE manager Edgardo Bauza, left, speaks to Omar Abdulrahman during training in Bangkok. Courtesy UAE FA
UAE manager Edgardo Bauza, left, speaks to Omar Abdulrahman during training in Bangkok. Courtesy UAE FA
UAE manager Edgardo Bauza, left, speaks to Omar Abdulrahman during training in Bangkok. Courtesy UAE FA
UAE manager Edgardo Bauza, left, speaks to Omar Abdulrahman during training in Bangkok. Courtesy UAE FA

World Cup 2018 qualifying diary: Edgardo Bauza gets his message across to UAE camp ahead of Thailand test


John McAuley
  • English
  • Arabic

Sunday, June 11, 2017

BANGKOK, THAILAND // Two days out from Edgardo Bauza’s competitive debut with the UAE and all seems well in the camp.

The players were put through their paces at their academy base in Bangkok on Sunday night, training ramped up that little bit more, players increasingly concentrated, the drills carried out with greater gusto.

Tuesday’s decisive World Cup qualifier against Thailand has obviously focused the mind, the final of three fixtures on what the UAE hope will form the road to Russia. The team has had a limited time to get to know their new manager, but it appears Bauza is getting his message across.

In the sticky Thai heat, and thankfully spared the flash downpour of the previous evening, the Argentine working intensely on the side’s defence while encouraging creative fulcrum Omar Abdulrahman to express himself further forward. The Asian player of the year stopped for some media work afterwards, happy to relay that Bauza has settled quickly and settled well.

And anyway, as Abdulrahman imparted, this team has been together in some guise dating back almost a decade, so having a new man setting tactics and giving orders – through a translator, of course – should not provide too much of a disruption.

It is different to Mahdi Ali, but the players are professional enough to understand what is at stake.

Granted, the UAE take on Group B’s bottom side, but there is a pressure to close the gap on the three teams above them and blocking the way to the World Cup, on recovering from the double defeat to Japan and Australia last time out. Make no mistake, the UAE have to win on Tuesday.

There appears no need to underline that, though. Two days out from Bauza’s big bow, the camp is coping just fine.

​jmcauley@thenational.ae

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RESULTS

Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)

Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)

Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) beat Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)

Catchweight 73kg: Mosatafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) beat Yazid Chouchane (ALG)

Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)

Catchweight 78KG: Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Adnan Bushashy (ALG)

Middleweight: Sallah-Eddine Dekhissi (MAR) beat Abdel Enam (EGY)

Catchweight 65kg: Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG) beat Rachid Hazoume (MAR)

Lightweight: Mohammed Yahya (UAE) beat Azouz Anwar (EGY)

Catchweight 79kg: Souhil Tahiri (ALG) beat Omar Hussein (PAL)

Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Laid Zerhouni (ALG)

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Fight card

1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)

2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)

3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)

4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)

5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)

6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)

7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)

8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)

9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)

10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)

11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)

12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)

Usain Bolt's time for the 100m at major championships

2008 Beijing Olympics 9.69 seconds

2009 Berlin World Championships 9.58

2011 Daegu World Championships Disqualified

2012 London Olympics 9.63

2013 Moscow World Championships 9.77

2015 Beijing World Championships 9.79

2016 Rio Olympics 9.81

2017 London World Championships 9.95

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)

Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)

Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD

Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."