Today's Edition
Kuumar Shyam (Abu Dhabi)
The UAE football team go into a make-or-break clash in the Arabian Gulf Cup or the 26th Zain Khaleeji Cup against Oman on Friday evening in Kuwait City. A solid win along with a favourable result for the hosts against Qatar are the only things they are left with to progress at the tournament past the group stage's third and final match.
The manager Paulo Bento has already said that the team has themselves been responsible for the situation they are in, even though right-back Khalifa Al Hammadi was responsible for the two mistakes that allowed hosts Kuwait to come back from a goal down and win 2-1 in their previous engagement.
"We need to accept it as part of the game," Bento said on the eve of the match. "Of course, now it's important we focus on the next game because there is no time to correct certain things.
The UAE manager brushed aside individual mistakes by his players as "not unusual" ahead to the challenge against Oman, which will be a 6.30pm start compared to the later one on Tuesday at the same Jaber Al Hamad Stadium.
"I don't want to point fingers at the players. It's something that happened and will continue to happen in every game," he said without using Al Hammadi's name. "It's easy to point a finger at any player or two or three. We analyse every game and every player.
"We can't hide what we saw. We have spoken on this matter at length individually and collectively but, on the pitch, anything can happen in the situations."
On his reading of the next opponents, Bento insisted it has been a normal preparation for the Whites in the build-up since, having started the tournament as favourites. The coach even hinted that Al Hammadi will be part of the line-up, too.
"Our focus is on the next game, try to make a good game, give a good performance, win the three points against a team who are in a better position than us in the group."
Bento felt his team have done well so far despite the draw and a defeat. "There are things that we cannot control, like people's expectations. It is not important they make us the favourites or not win the title. I don't think that has any effect on our game against Oman," he said.
"What matters for us is to win the three points. They [Oman] obviously will be aware we'll play an offensive game, but we'll play to a strategy and, of course, cut down on the mistakes. The players are aware of that.
"This game for us is now more like we are in the knockout phase of the competition and hoping for a result that can keep us in the race. Three days after a hard game isn't ideal. But we'll do our best to win the three points.
"Oman are a well-organised side and they are playing well and are in a [good] position after two games. We can expect them to play two different games as per their situation. Probably a defensive strategy with counterattack and they are pretty comfortable with or without possession, as we have seen them in the two games."
