Henk ten Cate is without a slew of stars as two teams meet in Round 3 of the Arabian Gulf Cup hoping to ignite their campaigns.
UAE giants Al Jazira and Al Nasr are joint top of Group A with a win and a draw from their opening two fixtures, yet they have struggled in the league. The Blue Wave are fifth in the Arabian Gulf League with champions Jazira sixth – both sides trailing in the wake of early-season pacesetters Al Wasl and Al Ain.
Both teams have players unavailable due to the national team’s friendly with Haiti on the same evening in Al Ain, but Ten Cate is proud of his young starlets who have been picked in new Whites coach Alberto Zaccheroni’s maiden squad.
Ahmed Al Attas, Mohammed Jamal and Khalafan Mubarak could feature in the Garden City, while Jazira stalwarts Ali Khasif, Fares Juma and Mohamed Fawzi are also part of former Japan and AC Milan coach Zaccheroni’s plans.
Ali Mabkhout, however, could feature for the Pride of Abu Dhabi after returning to his club to continue treatment that saw him only return to action in last week’s goalless AGL draw with Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club after almost a month on the sidelines.
“Our preparation for the next game is a little different because we miss several players, most notably Mbarak Boussoufa, Ali Khasif, Fares Juma, Mohamed Fawzi, Mohamed Jamal, Khalfan Mubarak and Ahmed Al Attas for international calls,” said former Ajax coach Ten Cate.
“Ali Mabkhout has joined the team training after the UAE national team allowed him to leave the camp in Al Ain to complete the treatment programme he started with us.”
Happy to give youngster a go: Henk ten Cate.
He praised the progress of young trio Mubarak, Jamal and Al Attas, as well as emerging youngsters at the club.
“I have always been given opportunities to Ahmed, Mohammed and Khalafan,” he added.
“They are now in the UAE national team. I am also happy with the great development of Mohammed Al Attas, Salem Al Eedi and Eissa Al Otaiba this season and I will give them more opportunities in the future because they deserve it and because they need more experience and maturity.”
Despite their early season AGL struggles, both sides have found solace in the League Cup, and will hope to gain three points that would send them clear at the top of the group, while piling the misery on the team and coach that loses at Zabeel Stadium.
“We have already faced Al Ain in this competition and we won against them despite the big absences in the squad, so I am not worried about my team’s readiness to face Al Nasr,” Ten Cate added of a 2-1 win earned in Round 2 that halted a two-game losing sequence.
“I am confident that the players who will be selected for the match will use the opportunity in the best possible way, and will face the opponent in a spirit of combat to achieve the desired result.”
Cesare Prandelli’s side, meanwhile, disposed of Ajman 3-0 in the Italian’s first game in charge of the Blue Wave in September before being held to a goalless draw at Hatta last month.
Prandelli also must deal with the absence of national team players, including Tariq Ahmed and Mahmoud Khamis, but he congratulated Khalifa Mubarak and Jassim Yaqoub on their call-ups into the Whites squad to face Haiti and Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
for inviting them to the national team which also includes Tariq Ahmed and Mahmoud Khamis in preparation for the friendly and friendly matches of Haiti and Uzbekistan, stressing that this is a certificate of confidence and success for all employees within Al-Nasr football system.
Al Nasr project: Cesare Prandelli.
“We are still suffering from injuries and absences, which always deprive us, but we will continue to work with new ideas and prepare more than one alternative in case of emergency,” said the former Italy coach, who will also be without Joan Oumari, while Salem Saleh and summer signing Marcelo Cirino, Masoud Sulaiman and Mubarak Saeed all face late fitness tests.
“I’m here to work for a two-year project and I’m looking to find factors that are always motivating players to develop their performance and reach the top of technical and physical readiness,” he added. “Everyone here is working hard to reach their goal.”
Elsewhere in Group A on Friday, Hatta, in third, will look to steal a march into the top two, when they go to Hatta, a place below them.
In Group B, meanwhile, Emirates Club will hope to leapfrog Dibba Al Fujairah into second place with victory in Ras Al Khaimah.
