Sport | Football
No more errors: Rashid Abdul Rahman
UAE sweeper Abdul Rahman is confident his team will cut out the defensive lapses against Korea.
- By Yasir Abbasher, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:12 September 5, 2008
- Image Credit: Ravindranath/Gulf News
- The UAE National team during their training session at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi. The team face North Korea in a World Cup qualifier today.
Abu Dhabi: UAE sweeper Rashid Abdul Rahman said he was confident the team would not repeat their recent defensive mistakes in Saturday's World Cup qualifier.
The team face North Korea at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium tonight but lost their last friendly against Bahrain due to a series of defensive errors.
Abdul Rahman, the stand in captain, said: "I am confident that we will show our best in the official matches against North Korea and Saudi Arabia and the mistakes that occurred in the friendly matches will not happen again."
The UAE defence has been somewhat suspect in recent months especially in the last two warm-up matches against Algeria and Bahrain.
The stand-in captain said: "I admit that we committed some silly defensive mistakes but these mistakes were individual and happened in friendly matches.
"We worked hard to iron them and I am sure it will not be repeated again in the qualifiers."
UAE leftback Saleh Obaid added: "We are determined to win the match and that means we will make very few mistakes.
"You can not play a full match without making mistakes, they are part of the game.
"But the less mistakes a team makes, the more probable it will win the match.
"That is why we will minimise our mistakes not only in defence but in all the other lines of the team."
Keeper's pledge
Goalkepeer Esmail Rabie, the custodian, who was at fault for Bahrain's third goal said: "I will not allow the Koreans to score a single goal.
"I am confident and determined to do my ever best for the team in the match.
"I know it might be my only game in the qualifiers because my colleague Majid will take part in the second after serving his one match suspension but I want it to be a match to remember and to be proud of."
Meanwhile Kim San, the head coach of North Korea, has refused to speak to the media in the build-up to the game.
The North Korean coach has also banned his players from speaking to the media as well.
Local journalists were interested in interviewing his two professional strikers, Ahn Young-Hak, who plays for Suwon Samsung in South Korea, and Jong Tae-Se, who plays in Japan for Kawasaki.
North Korea has a reputation for being one of the most secretive nation's in the world.
The coach has also insisted San insisted that his team's training sessions should start at 7pm at Zayed Sports City.
He had been told the team's practice would begin at 10pm.
But San refused to accept the slot despite being told 7pm it would be difficult for sports city staff as it would clash with employees breaking their fast at iftar.
But the coach refused to back down and eventually got the earlier time.
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