Opener is important tie: Fares
abu dhabi — The AFC Asian Cup opening match against Bahrain would be crucial for the UAE national team, according to defender Fares Juma.
“The match is very important as it is the first in the tournament,” Fares was quoted by the UAE Football Association’s Arabic website.
“A win would mean we get off to a strong start,” he explained. The Al Ain star reckons that a positive start to the tournament would be a big morale booster for the Whites in their quest to advance to the next round.
At the same time Fares agrees that the opening match against Bahrain won’t be a walk in the park. “They (Bahrain) are also looking for a win so will need to be on our guard too.”
“Each team is like an open book,” he added.
The veteran defender promised to give all he has to lead Whites to a win. “On a personal level, this is a great opportunity for me to achieve a new high with the team. We are yet to win the Asian Cup, thus we have greater responsibility to win at home,” he pointed out.
Midfielder Majid Hassan thanked fans for supporting the team and stressed that the players were in happy state.
“We are keen to give fans some joy in this tournament as they have stood behind us and in recent times the support has multiplied.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Organising Committee of the Asian Cup has allocated 40,000 flags to be distributed at the Zayed Sports Stadium during the opening match.