Ali Mabkhout insists the UAE fear no-one ahead of Wednesday afternoon’s draw for the 2015 Asian Cup in Sydney.
Mahdi Ali’s side, who were undefeated in qualifying as they progressed to next January’s tournament in Australia top of Group E, have been placed in pot two for the draw which will take place at the city’s famous Opera House at 12:00 (UAE).
That means they are sure to share a pool with one of the four top seeds; hosts Australia, Iran, Japan or Uzbekistan, although they would not probably mind a reunion with the latter who they beat on the road Down Under.
Being in pot two brings with it the benefit of avoiding two-time Asian Cup winners South Korea, fast improving Jordan and neighbours Saudi Arabia, though banana skins lurk in pots three and four, including Qatar and Iraq.
“We haven’t spoken as players about which teams we would like to face. We do not desire a specific team so whoever comes, we are ready,” Jazira forward Mabkhout told Sport360°.
“We believe in ourselves, we are a strong team so whoever comes we are ready for them.”
Mabkhout was the joint-top scorer in qualifying, alongside Iran’s Reza Ghoochannejhad, with five goals. In total the UAE scored 18 in six games, while conceding just three as they won all but one of their Group E matches to establish themselves as a rising force on the continent.
That run helped Mahdi’s men climb into the top 60 in the FIFA World Rankings, and although they slipped back to No61 in the last list, they did keep their place as the fifth best team in Asia.
And with the 2013 Gulf Cup of Nations already in the trophy cabinet, confidence in the UAE camp is clearly high ahead of next year’s tournament.
Mabkhout added: “Our target is to go far in this competition, at least to the last eight and as much as we can we want to win this competition.”
There was no such optimism three years ago as the UAE exited the 2011 Asian Cup after the first round having failed to find the net as they garnered just a solitary point.
Barring injury, nine of the squad that travelled to Qatar are assured of their place on the plane to Australia but the national team is a much different place these days following the squad’s experiences at the London Olympics and Gulf Cup.
In all 15 of the 16 teams that will take part in Australia have already qualified, with the final place to be given to the winner of the AFC Challenge Cup, which is set to take place in May in the Maldives.
DREAM GROUP
Uzbekistan
UAE
China
AFC Challenge Cup qualifier
The UAE took four points off Uzbekistan in qualifying, and also beat them en route to the London Olympics. China stuttered into the finals as the best third-placed side while the Challenge Cup is played out between the continent’s emerging nations.
NIGHTMARE GROUP
Japan
UAE
Iraq
Bahrain
Japan are four times winners and boast international stars such as Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda and Hiroshi Kiyotake. Iraq took the UAE to extra-time in the Gulf Cup final while Bahrain are the highest ranked team in pot four.
