NEW UAE COACH LOOKS AHEAD AFTER WORLD CUP QUALIFYING HOPES FADE IN THAILAND
AE coach Edgardo Bauza could only look to the future after a 1-1 draw away to Thailand — in his first competitive game in charge — virtually ended The Whites’ hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup on Tuesday.
Ali Mabkhout left the UAE hanging on by a thread when his 93rd minute equaliser cancelled out Mongkol Thosakrai’s 69th minute opener.
The UAE are now six points off the qualifying spots with just two games remaining at home to Saudi Arabia on August 29 and away to Iraq on September 5.
Even if The Whites win both of their remaining games and a team above them loses twice, the goal difference is still huge.
“I know the situation in the group is really bad,” said former Argentina boss Bauza, who replaced Mahdi Ali last month. “But we will work hard for the next matches. I have a plan and vision and I will prepare everything for the next matches.
“The match was not what I wanted, I really wanted to win, but we couldn’t play in our way as planned. Our opponents had so many chances to score and win the game. We tried to fix the game, but we couldn’t do it. I am so sad for this result. I am not happy at all, as I had hoped for a good result.”
One positive, he said, was at the back. “My team was better than before, especially in the defensive line. My players did well. Thailand were very good though.”
Ranked below UAE
Thailand, who are already eliminated, are 52 places below the UAE in the rankings and were looking for their first ever win at this stage in qualification, under new coach Milovan Rajevac of Serbia. “The sweetest result for me would have been 1-0 but unfortunately we didn’t manage that,” he said. “I’m sorry we couldn’t make history but we were very close. I’m very proud and satisfied after only one camp together.”
Mahdi Ali resigned as UAE coach after their 2-0 defeat away to Australia in March leaving The Whites four points off the qualifying spots with three games to go.
Bauza was appointed on a two-year deal in May with a task on his hands to still qualify for Russia. If they had won all three of their remaining games in the hope that one of the three teams above them slipped up it would have still been possible. However, drawing against the lowest ranked of those three remaining sides, makes it virtually impossible for the UAE, with Australia and Saudi Arabia both now just needing a point from their last two games to ensure making at least the play-offs.
Bauza now has the Asian Cup on UAE soil in 2019 to plan for.