Matar: UAE have become the best team in Asia

Sport360 staff 23:45 05/10/2016
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  • Attacking asset: Ahmed Khalil.

    Whether I’m part of it or not I think this UAE team can become only the second team to qualify for a World Cup, no question about it.

    It would be special for me if the team could make it to Russia and I was to be a part of it, but I’m a fan of our national team right now, and I want my team to go through, though I know it will not be easy.

    It’s not about saying ‘Inshallah’ and you will be there, you have to put in the work. I believe we have a good enough team to be there. I believe in my team and friends, the coach. They all have experience.

    Game after game we are earning experience. It’s not about how old you are, it’s about playing game after game, competition after competition, and this team are used to being in big tournaments.

    They played in the 2009 Under-20 World Cup, the 2012 Olympics, the Asian Cup, the Gulf Cup, and they have the experience from that. Maybe 10 years ago they didn’t have that big game experience, but now they do so we can handle it and can deal with it, and obviously we have the talent too.

    We played Japan in the first game and when you beat Japan in Japan, it’s a huge result. When you beat the best team in Asia you are supposed to qualify. I believe we now have the best team in Asia. Individually we have really great players, we just need to find a way to win.

    How good you are playing doesn’t always matter, you just need the result. Australia, what they did against us in the last game, they just won the game. When they got the chance to score, they took it.

    That’s where the UAE need to get to and I believe we can do it. For the players we have and our quality in the national team, the chance is there.

    We beat Japan and lost against Australia, which is, for me, still a good result. It was only 1-0. Thailand, in my opinion, have played well in their two games, despite losing. Against Saudi Arabia they had a lot of chances and could have won.

    The Saudi goalkeeper saved a lot of chances and it was his day. They know how to play counter-attack and have good players who can relieve the pressure. They have good tactics so it will not be easy for us.

    Saudi Arabia are a very good team, a more experienced team. They know what they want to do with the game. Maybe they will let you run the game like you wish, but in the end you will see a different result. That game depends on how we will play against Thailand.

    A win will give us confidence and momentum to go to Saudi Arabia, it’s much better than if we draw or lose and then head to Saudi under a lot of pressure because we have to win. It will be a tough two games and I hope we can win the first game to make it easier on us against Saudi Arabia.

    Ismail Matar is a football icon in the UAE. The veteran Al Wahda forward has earned 113 caps for the Whites, putting him fourth on the all-time list of appearances, while his 34 goals puts him third.

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