Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The UAE national team returns to the spotlight on Thursday night when they take on Iraq at the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, knowing only two good results in the AFC play-off at home and away will keep their World Cup dream alive. And they must hit the ground running with home advantage first up.
The clash will determine which nation advances to an intercontinental play-off tournament, where six teams from different continents will battle for the final two World Cup berths available. That’s why the opportunity is labelled a “half slot” from the perspective of the two teams from the Asian Football Confederation.
Both the UAE and Iraq come into the clash as the best third-placed team in their respective groups in the previous round – behind Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The latter got undue home advantage as hosts of that round but both managers of UAE and Iraq chose to focus on the present.
After the heartbreak of missing direct qualification following defeat to Qatar in their final group tie, coach Cosmin Olaroiu admitted he was deflated but the support of the UAE Football Association was instrumental.
“I understand the frustration – we disappointed a lot of people and we don’t want to do this again,” Olaroiu said on the eve of the match. “We’ll fight to be at the same level as in the previous two games. The [UAE FA] president spoke to me immediately after the Qatar match personally, and that gave me energy. He was positive, and that spirit has spread to the players.”
The Romanian coach added that the team had to use the pain of their earlier setback as a lesson. “If we pass easily over this moment, it means we don’t learn anything,” he said. “We must stay together, suffer together, and use it to grow. What we have to learn is to look at ourselves – not what happened around us – to make progress.”
Olaroiu praised the leadership’s faith and the unity in the squad after recent comebacks. “In the last two matches we showed spirit, we came back to win late, and that’s the sign of a good team,” he said. The team is without the injured Fabio Lima, but Olaroiu expressed confidence in his other available players.
Midfielder Yahya Nader said the team’s focus was sharper than ever. “We know how much this means to the country. The defeat to Qatar hurt, but it also reminded us what we’re playing for. We’ve worked hard, and we’re ready to give everything for the fans,” he said.
Olaroiu will turn to history for inspiration, when a goal from Omar Abdulrahman helped the UAE to a famous win over Iraq in 2013. Olaroiu was coach at Al Ain when it happened.
“We’ve been through moments like this before. The players can become heroes again. But that was a stage when individuals chose the path to greatness. You can do that, or play as a team and collectively work wonders. I want us tomorrow to play as a team,” the manager said.
His counterpart Graham Arnold also reminded that the last time the half-spot was being contested for a place in the 2022 finals, it was his Australia side who knocked out the UAE. He has been in charge of Iraq for six games now. “After the Saudi Arabia round, we had just two technical sessions, and one tactical; but I believe the most important thing is mental, up here [pointing to the head].”
To show how important it is and he means business, he revealed that the players have been banned from social media to remain focused.
Twenty-eight countries have already confirmed their places at next year’s expanded tournament, with more to come through November’s regional qualifiers. And the winding path for the UAE will become clear in the next eight days.
