Mahdi Ali admits UAE failed to deal with Saudi physicality

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  • Midfield dominance: Saudi.

    The UAE’s inability to go toe-to-toe with Saudi Arabia doomed them to a damaging 2018 World Cup qualifying defeat, according to deflated boss Mahdi Ali.

    Deadly striker Mohammad Al Sahlawi converted a controversial penalty deep into second-half injury time to complete a brace and see the Green Falcons fight back for a valuable 2-1 win on Thursday.

    The victory – secured in response to forward Ahmed Khalil’s outstanding opener via a dipping 30- yard free-kick – opened up a commanding five-point advantage in Group A of the AFC’s second round for the leaders against the meek visitors to Jeddah.

    “Saudi Arabia was the better team,” Ali said. “We suffered on the physical level and couldn’t offer the required performance and didn’t show the image we are used to.

    “They had a physical advantage, especially in midfield. I thought we were better in the last 20 minutes, but could not get another goal.

    “But now we must seek to compensate in forthcoming fixtures. In the second match against Saudi Arabia, they will see a completely different UAE team.”

    A scrap to become one of the four-best runners-up now seems certain for the vanquished Whites if they want to progress to the third round, a position they are just about holding on to in second spot in their pool on seven points.

    Ali’s men had seemed set for a first victory against their neighbours since January 2007 after Al Ahli star Khalil’s strike on 18 minutes at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. But crucial lapses of concentration in both periods of injury time contributed to a potentially-pivotal loss.

    Al Nassr hot shot Al Sahlawi struck from Abdullah Al Dossary’s cross at the end of the first half, before slotting in at the death from 12 yards when Omar Abdulrahman was harshly adjudged to have fouled the theatrical Nawaf Al Abed.

    Green Falcons boss Bert van Marwijk praised the focus of his players. He said: “We deserved to win after intensive work in the last period and I congratulate the players. When I’ve had to tell the players when they’ve played badly I’ve said it, but today they played great.”

    Al Ain defender Mohannad Salem was the UAE’s stand-out player on a night when more celebrated figures such as Abdulrahman, Ismail Al Hammadi and Ali Mabkhout woefully underperformed.

    He said: “We made many mistakes which we will seek to repair in the coming period, most notably in the decline of performance after scoring the first goal.”

    The UAE will need to get their campaign back on track when they host Timor-Leste on November 12.

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