UAE upbeat as Japan clash approaches
Sydney (IraqiNews.com) Mahdi Ali expects his United Arab Emirates team to present Japan with a new challenge as the defending champions take on the 2013 Gulf Cup winners in the battle for a place in the last four of the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015.
The Japanese have yet to concede a goal in the tournament after topping Group D ahead of Iraq, Jordan and Palestine, but Ali believes his young and improving side will cause the four-time winners new problems at Stadium Australia on Friday.
“I hope that we score the first goal tomorrow (Friday) and, of course, for the Japan team the defence line has not been tested in the last three games,” said Ali, who led his nation to the finals of the Olympic football tournament in London in 2012.
He said “But the game is different. We play different football to the teams who have played Japan and we will try to do our best.”
The UAE reached the quarter-finals by finishing second in Group C, losing to a late goal against Iran in their final match of the group stage after winning against Qatar and Bahrain, with midfielder Omar Abdulrahman in particularly impressive form.
Their progress to the last eight is the first time they have advanced to the quarter-finals since finishing as runners-up in the tournament in 1996 on home soil, when they eventually lost to Saudi Arabia in a penalty shoot-out in the final.
“I think after playing a strong game in our last game we are very happy to qualify for the second round,” said Ali, who will be without the services of Walid Abbas, who is suspended.
“Friday’s game will be a very tough game for both sides and I hope that both teams give the maximum they have in the game so that all the fans have all the excitement and joy of watching this game.
“We are ready, we have only one player missing from this game and that’s Walid Abbas because of two yellow cards and we don’t have any injuries. We hope that we make a good result.”
Ali believes his team’s familiarity with one another will be an advantage going into such a high-pressure clash.
“For me, any game is important, even a friendly game. I don’t like to lose,” he said. “Friday’s game is an one because it will take us to the semi-final. We have a very good generation, we have spent nine years preparing this team and we are optimistic to go further in this competition.
He assured “When I took the team two years ago our aim was to reach the semi-finals. We are very close and we will fight very hard to reach our goal.” /End/