The UAE are in for a shock if they expect another 2018 World Cup qualifying walkover against Malaysia next week, according to midfielder Habib Fardan.
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The Whites continue their quest to make a second-ever appearance at the tournament on Tuesday, when they travel to Shah Alam Stadium.
They head east on the back of an 8-0 dismantling of Group A strugglers Timor-Leste on Thursday, which made it 18 goals in consecutive home ties after September’s 10-0 thumping of their impending opponents.
That humiliation prompted Ong Kim Swee to be drafted in by Harimau Malaya as interim coach and Al Ahli star Fardan, 25, is aware of the threat posed by the new regime on home soil.
He said: “It is important we stay focused as we have to respect the Malaysia team. I think we should improve our- selves, it doesn’t matter if the other team is weak or strong.
“We should always stay in the same level. I think they will be better than our game here, when we won 10-0. On their field, they will be much better than when they played here.
“We hope we will do good in this game and we get the three points. It was an easy game for us. We wanted to score more goals, but it was good we finished 8-0. Hopefully, we can now win against Malaysia.”
Mahdi Ali’s men sit a place and three points behind pool leaders Saudi Arabia after the emphatic Timor result at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium. They must win their final three qualifiers – including March’s finale against the Green Falcons – to progress to the AFC’s third round as table toppers because they sit adrift in the race to be one of the four best runners-up who will also go forward.
Their push is being helped by captain Ahmed Khalil, whose four-goal haul in the capital made him the AFC campaign’s top scorer with nine.
“It’s a good achievement to score nine goals, until now,” the 24-year-old Red Knights forward said. “I feel I’m passing a good period, but I still have more and have better performances to come. It’s not a competition but we try to score every chance we get.
“We gave a good performance against Timor-Leste. It’s a positive step to the next stage, but we’re not thinking about (March’s) Saudi Arabia match – we now think only about Malaysia.”
Ali’s second string shone on Thursday, substitutes Dawood Ali of Al Shabab and promising Al Jazira youngster Ahmed Al Attas netting after the break.
Fardan also impressed as a half-time replacement and he believes these displays exhibited the strength in depth of the 2015 Asian Cup’s third-placed finishers.
He said: “We have many good players in the UAE squad. We are all on a high level and anyone can play at any time.
“I think we have great players here and anyone can substitute another. This squad is full of stars, who can do a good job for the team.”
