Dubai: UAE coach Marcelo Mendes was hoping to rectify a few things and improve in their next game against beach soccer world champions Russia after the first of two friendly matches between the two teams held late on Thursday.

The UAE went down 3-4 against the world and European champions, but Mendes insisted the Emiratis can only get better in the second match between the two countries on Friday night at the Al Mamzar Beach.

“For us such tough matches are important as they help us in our learning process. We made some mistakes, especially in the first period, and I want to set these rectified when we play them again,” Mendes said.

Thanks to a couple of errors in the opening period, Russia took the lead and then doubled it. But the hard-working Rashid Ahmad pulled one back for the hosts early in the second period only to see Russia regain their two-goal advantage by the end of the period.

Mendes made a few changes and this worked in favour of the home team as Al Ahli’s Rashid Ahmad scored his second goal and Hassan Ali from Ajman Club got his name on the scoresheet. But the world champions found the back of the net towards the end of the period to walk away 4-3 winners.

“We had our chances to at least secure a draw. The tactical changes made helped us, and at the same time gave our players the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. It was a good to check the players’ performance against a top side like the world champions Russia and, Inshallah, the second game we will get better,” the UAE’s Brazilian coach added.

The two friendly matches are part of the UAE’s final preparations for this week’s Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup, which gets under way at the Dubai Festival City from October 30.

The UAE are grouped with the USA, Russia and Tahiti in Group A, while Group B consists of Japan, Switzerland, Nigeria and multiple world champions Brazil.

The Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup 2012 is a free event with the new beach soccer pitch having a capacity of 2,500. Match schedule details may be obtained at www.beachsoccer.com.