Padu hopes UAE will make a strong debut

Dubai: The UAE's futsal coach is hoping his boys will come through on a winning note as they prepare for their debut in the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship that kicks off here from next week.

"No doubt we expect tough competition here, but I feel confident our team is capable of coming through as one of the four qualifiers to the World Cup," UAE's Brazilian coach Paulo Eduardo De Jesus Pinho [Padu] told Gulf News on Friday.

Anxious moments

The UAE survived some anxious moments before scampering through to a 5-3 win over Qatar in a friendly at the Sharjah Youth Centre late on Friday. With both teams tied 3-3 and just 2.25 minutes remaining, it was two quick strikes from Abdul Kareem Jameel and Yousuf Al Jawadi that gave the home side a well-deserved victory.

"We showed very good tactic tonight but we definitely need to be more concentrated and disciplined on the ball. I believe we are at least 60 per cent ready for our first match," the Brazilian added.

The UAE has been pitted in Group A along with Thailand, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan — against whom they begin their campaign at 6 pm on May 25.