UAE coach Alberto Zaccheroni has declared “all players” still have a chance to feature in January 2019’s Asian Cup.
Zaccheroni, 64, saw a squad weakened by injuries, plus the enforced exiles of stars Omar Abdulrahman and Ali Mabkhout for disciplinary reasons, go down to a pair of narrow losses at the 2018 King’s Cup in Thailand. The matches against Slovakia and Gabon existed as proving grounds for the Whites, as they build up to next year’s tournament on home soil.
“It was a great opportunity to enhance the potential and experience of the team after attending this year’s King’s Cup 2018 tournament in Thailand,” said the ex-AC Milan, Juventus and Japan boss.
“Many players have developed and showed good form during the past two matches.
“As of now, all players still have a chance to be in the final team.”
Among those to grasp opportunities to impress were emerging Al Ain attacking midfielder Rayan Yaslam and youthful Al Wahda forward Mohamed Al Akbari.
The UAE are set to undertake a number of friendlies and training camps before 2019’s event. They finished third in the previous edition in Australia four years ago.
The UAE will attempt on Sunday to leave the 2018 King’s Cup with reputations enhanced when they battle a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang-less Gabon for third spot.
In the absence of exiled superstars Omar Abdulrahman and Ali Mabkhout in Thailand, a valiant second-half fightback against Slovakia on Thursday ended with a 2-1 loss.
Here are the talking points:
CAN KHALIL KEEP IT UP?
The UAE’s usual triple-pronged threat is missing two of its constituent parts in Bangkok.
Without Amoory and Mabkhout, 2015 AFC Player of the Year Ahmed Khalil experienced a mixed outing against the Slovaks. After failing to score during the recent Gulf Cup, the Al Ain forward expertly found the bottom corner to spark hope at Rajamangala National Stadium.
But even then, further glaring chances – such as a last-gasp chip – would pass him by.
A combination of Khalil’s hulking frame and poor injury record has made it a challenge to play successive games at a high level. He needs to be at his best against Gabon – the UAE needs him.
مباراة منتخبنا الوطني مع الجابون ستقام يوم الأحد الساعة الواحدة والنصف ظهرا بتوقيت الإمارات وستكون منقولة عبر كافة قنواتنا الرياضية ..#منتخب_الإمارات #الإمارات_الجابون pic.twitter.com/hhkrQ5iCZM
— UAENT2019 (@uaent2019) March 24, 2018
RAYAN OF LIGHT
Positives have been in short supply for the Whites.
From the paternal Mahdi Ali’s near five-year tenure ending in open dissent last March, to Edgardo Bauza’s failure to secure World Cup 2018 qualification and the miserly opening months of Alberto Zaccheroni’s reign.
This sense of desolation has only been added to by Abdulrahman and Mabkhout’s breaking of curfew prior to January 5’s Gulf Cup final loss.
But in the second half in Bangkok, rare bright shoots broke through. Al Ain’s 23-year-old playmaker Rayan Yaslam came off the bench to produce a beautiful throughball that cut apart Slovakia’s defence for Khalil’s goal and a long-range pass that should have led to an equaliser.
If Amoory’s absence is an extended one, he’s the heir apparent.
جانب من تدريبات منتخبنا الوطني استعدادا لمواجهة منتخب الجابون ..#منتخب_الإمارات pic.twitter.com/MAMnM8Wbtb
— UAENT2019 (@uaent2019) March 24, 2018
FORGING THE WAY FORWARD
Watching the UAE take the game to Slovakia in a stretched second half was a sight to savour.
They had more attempts and possession against a nation who made Euro 2016’s round of 16 and are ranked 50 places higher by FIFA, in 29th.
Zaccheroni’s contract ties him to the UAE Football Association until the end of January 2019’s Asian Cup on home soil. But the capricious leaders of Middle Eastern football need little excuse to jettison a coach.
Another statement must be made against Gabon. The ex-AC Milan supremo cannot afford for bad feelings to fester.
Attacking midfielder Mohamed Abdulrahman has challenged his UAE team-mates to use their final King’s Cup match as a learning experience towards a brighter future.
The Whites wind up this four-team annual tournament in Bangkok against Gabon on Sunday. Both sides lost their opening games on Thursday – the Africans, without Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang because of a family bereavement, lost on penalties to hosts Thailand and their next opponents were edged 2-1 by Slovakia.
Coach Alberto Zaccheroni is now likely to unleash prospects such as Al Nasr’s Jassem Yaqoub and Al Wahda’s Mohamed Al Akbari at Rajamangala National Stadium.
With Omar Abdulrahman and Ali Mabkhout absent because of disciplinary issues, brother Mohamed is urging the Whites to take on board as much as they can ahead of January 2019’s Asian Cup on home soil.
“Participation in the King’s Cup is very useful,” said the 29-year-old Al Ain utility man ahead of this third-place play-off. “This is especially true for the technical staff, who will gain more knowledge of the players.
“Gabon is one of the strongest teams from Africa, but our team has strong desires to win.”
Gabon also failed to make World Cup 2018. Despite boasting players like Southampton battler Mario Lemina, they are ranked 16 places lower by FIFA in 95th.
“I believe that for the game to secure the third place for this tournament against the UAE, our players will play better,” said coach Jose Antonio Camacho.
“Gabon will try our best in this game.”
