The UAE will get a good idea of how far they have come under coach Mahdi Ali when they take on Armenia in Switzerland.
Since a 1-0 defeat to Asian heavyweights Japan in his first game in charge, the Whites have embarked on a 20-game unbeaten run; won the 2013 Gulf Cup of Nations and qualified for the 2015 Asian Cup by finishing top of Group E.
However, this evening’s match is only the second time Mahdi’s side have come up against European opposition in his 20 months at the helm, and the first occasion they have faced a country ranked in the world’s top 50 since his debut in Niigata.
Armenia are currently ranked 33rd in the world by FIFA and acquitted themselves well in World Cup qualifying, beating Czech Republic and Denmark, while drawing with Italy away from home.
Their squad also contains Borussia Dortmund star Henrikh Mkhitaryan, yet UAE defender Mohanad Salem says the Whites are confident of achieveing a victory.
“We are looking forward to making it a winning start by implementing the tactics and strategies of the coach to continue our positive run and build on this for the future challenges,” he said.
The only other time the UAE have played a European side under Mahdi came on November 14, 2012, when they beat Estonia 2-1 in Abu Dhabi.
However, with the Gulf Cup in Saudi Arabia in November, and then the Asian Cup in Australia just two months later, the UAE Football Association have lined up some testing games to help them prepare.
Armenia will be the first of nine games the Whites will play between now and then, with a game against Georgia next Tuesday followed by Norway on August 27, and World Cup finalists Belgium on September 4.
Morocco, Australia and Uzbekistan have also been lined up before the UAE’s Gulf Cup training camp begins on November 1.
The match against Armenia comes after an energy-sapping season, with 12 of the 24-man squad able to join up only after last Sunday’s President’s Cup final.
Mahdi could hand three players their international debuts at the Stade de la Fontenette, with teenagers Ahmed Rabea, Ali Salmeen and Yousif Saeed all in his squad.
New Armenia coach, Bernard Challandes – who oversaw a 2-0 defeat against Russia in his first game in charge in March – has eight uncapped players in his 30-man squad.
Likely teams
UAE (4-4-2): Khaseif; Haikal, Al Kamali, I Ahmed, W Abbas; Fardan, Esmail, Hassan, Omar; Mabkhout, Khalil
Armenia (4-2-3-1): Berezovsky; Mkoyan, Arzumanyan, Haroyan, Hayrapetyan; Mkrtchyan, Yedigaryan; Ozbiliz, Mkhitaryan, Ghazaryan; Guevgeozian
