CANBERRA, Australia – The Australian media are starting to fall in love with Omar Abdulrahman, Mahdi Ali and the whole United Arab Emirates team and it is easy to see why as the team strolled into the quarter-finals of the 2015 Asian Cup.
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The 2-1 win over Bahrain on Thursday in Canberra was not quite as vibrant or spectacular as the 4-1 thrashing of Qatar four days previously but it featured the sort of lively attacking play that is helping to make the team the favourite of many neutrals in this tournament.
The front three of Omar, Ahmed Khalil and Ali Mabkhout are a delight to watch. Mabkhout is red hot and after just 14 seconds on a beautiful summer evening in Canberra, put the 1996 finalists ahead.
A Jaycee John header sent the teams in level at half-time but after some pressure from UAE, an own goal from Bahrain captain Mohamed Hasan gave the Emiratis a second successive victory and, after Iran’s win over Qatar in Sydney, a place in the last eight.
“It was tough for us,” said coach Ali. “The most important thing is the win and three points. This will relax us a little ahead of the Iran game.
It is not just people in Australia and Asia who are impressed, the boss knows that fans back home are delighted with how the team is performing. “I have received many calls from top leaders, fans and friends -they are very happy This team brings joy… Many kids are watching the games at school. That’s the most important thing that you can imagine.”
If the 4-1 win over Qatar on Sunday was the perfect start to the tournament for Mahdi Ali’s men, they could not have asked for a better start to this game.
#AC2015 Group C Table 1. @uaefa_ae p2 6pts 2. @TeamMeliIran p2 6pts 3. @bfainfo p2 0pts 4. @FollowQFA p2 0pts pic.twitter.com/wSnJYFQBdJ
— AFC Asian Cup (@afcasiancup) January 15, 2015
Omar won possession just inside the Bahrain half and floated a perfect pass over the defence for Mabkhout. After seven goals in his previous seven international games, the Al Jazira man was not about to miss; his first touch took him past the goalkeeper, his second rolled the ball into the empty net.
Confidence was coursing through Emirati veins and Mahdi Ali’s men were pushing for the second that would have surely ended Bahrain’s resistance. Yet it was surprisingly the men from Manama who scored.
Jaycee John, the Nigerian-born striker, who had looked to be his team’s greatest threat, headed past Majed Naser from a corner. A few minutes later, the goalkeeper managed to keep out another header from the striker.
The second half started slowly. On the hour, Omar Abdulrahman went close from a free-kick from just inside the area, given after an illegal Bahrain backpass, but the game grew as flat as the atmosphere, or perhaps vice-versa.
It came back to life with 15 minutes remaining, Mohamed Hasan rose highest in a crowded penalty area to head an Amer Abdulrhman free-kick into his own net and that was that for this game and Bahrain – but certainly not for UAE who are just getting started.
Omar, the official man of the match, fielded the now inevitable question as to whether it is time to play in the big leagues. “I am very happy to play in Europe but my goal at the moment is for us to do our best in this competition.”
It is now time for Iran in the final group game. Given UAE’s advantage in goal difference, a draw will ensure top spot and likely mean that Japan are avoided in the quarter-finals, though the official position is that it doesn’t matter. “We never think about avoiding any team,” said the coach. “We play to win regardless of what will happen.”
Bahrain’s fate is sealed and after the final group game with Qatar, the Reds return to Manama to think about the start of qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
“The players fought well,” said boss Marjan Eid. “We tried to play a different style. We attacked in the second half and had lots of opportunities but just couldn’t score.” The former assistant coach was left to lament his team’s fortunes. “We were unlucky. The own goal was a difficult cross for the defence and goalkeeper to handle.”
الإماراتي علي مبخوت @ali_mabkhout يسجل أسرع هدف في تاريخ كأس أمم آسيا بعد 14 ثانية فقط من صافرة البداية #AC2015 https://t.co/dOmnuEtIs3
— كأس أمم آسيا (@afcasiancup_ar) January 15, 2015
Nobody in the Bahrain camp really fancies the Qatar game on Monday. “It will be really difficult to motivate the players for the final game but we will have to push the players and I hope that they get what they deserve and we can get the three points.”
UAE have very different things to think about. A point against Iran and the path to the semi-finals of the 2015 Asian Cup and deeper into the hearts of the Australian public is there to be taken.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Omar Abdulrahman. Sometimes you have to go with the obvious and the playmaker has such awareness of his team-mates and the passing ability to go make it happen.
UAE VERDICT: A tougher match than Qatar but this is what the team needed. Again, very lively in attack and regrouped to nullify Bahrain’s tactics.
BAHRAIN VERDICT: Fought well with Jaycee John a real threat but after looking dangerous in the first half, the supply dried up in the second.
YOU HAD TO BE THERE: Coach Mahdi Ali taking a question that was meant for Omar Abdulrahman as to whether he would consider coming to Australia’s A-League.
