UAE versus Iraq in WC qualifier
the ‘Whites’ are motivated and ready for Iraq, said national head coach Mahdi Ali ahead of Tuesday’s Fifa 2018 World Cup qualifier against Iraq at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
Ali said Tuesday’s tie is ‘very, very important’ for UAE after the loss suffered against Saudi Arabia in the fourth round. “A win is needed to keep our dream alive in the World Cup qualifiers,” he said. The UAE are at fourth spot behind Saudi Arabia, Australia and Japan in Group B and Iraq poses a tough opponent. “We want to bounce back. Football is not about the names of mere teams but it about effort taken out on the ground,” he said.
Reminded about the thrashing against the Saudi side, he said: “Winning always starts from losing. We are motivated to change the picture of the last game. We know how important it is to keep our dream alive. We want to stay in the race and we are very confident.”
Ali said the team has got enough experience to run over Iraq. “We still have a big chance but need a positive result on Tuesday. We have gone through many obstacles since 2008 and now we are experienced enough to deal with such situations. I am sure we will prevail over Iraq,” he said.
Mindful of the opponent, he had some good words for the dangerous Iraqis and sought fan support to steer the team through. “Iraq are a good team and they lost their previous matches because of small mistakes. On Tuesday, it’s going to be a difficult match against a tough opponent. We need support from all corners. We will play with utmost desire to win three points,” he said.
Ali also said that in Group B each team has got similar capacities. “All have the same level apart from Thailand. For Iraq, this is their last chance and they will go all out for a win. We are prepared for this,” he said.
On the pressure he was facing, especially following the loss to Saudi Arabia, Ali said: “This criticism was coming from the people who love this nation and the national team. I hope we’ll give them our best.”
The coach had an interesting comparison to offer. “Pressure is part of my job. Before they asked Jose Mourinho about the drop in Cristiano Ronaldo’s level and he said there’s no discussion about the value of Ronaldo, that everybody knows he is a great player, the best player in the world. But sometimes he suffers from a drop. This also happens to a coach. My duty is to get a good result and then we will get back on the right path,” he said.
On injuries and team composition, the UAE coach said: “We had some difficulties. Midfielder Amer Abdulrahman has a minor injury and is out. Striker Ali Mabkhout and defender Ismail Ahmed, who have recovered in time, will be in the squad. They were on the bench for the Bahrain friendly.”
The team, now, are full strength. “We are all motivated and have prepared well. It’s the players who will decide the game on Tuesday,” he added.
Meanwhile, Iraq head coach Radhi Shenaishil said: “We are not an easy team and the match is going to be good. All our players, who went on international duty, are back with us.”
On the losses suffered so far, he said: “We have lost a few points and will give our best in the match against the UAE.”
The contest, fifth in the UAE’s 10-match road to Russia 2018, will be played at great intensity and with lot riding for Ali and the nation. — ashwani@khaleejtimes.com