Sport | Football
UAE and Hamburg face off in final game of Dubai Challenge Cup
The UAE national team meet Hamburg SV today in the final game of the Dubai Challenge Cup 2007 at Al Nasr club's Al Maktoum stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30 pm.
- By Sayed Ali, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 January 10, 2007
- The UAE meet German Bundesliga side Hamburg SV in the final of the Dubai Challenge Cup 2007 at Al Nasr Stadium in Dubai.
- Image Credit: Tracy Brand/Gulf News
Dubai: The UAE national team meet Hamburg SV today in the final game of the Dubai Challenge Cup 2007 at Al Nasr club's Al Maktoum stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30 pm.
The winner will receive the trophy presented by Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing, the organisers of the tournament.
Prior to the final, Iran meet Vfb Stuttgart at 5 pm to decide third place. Both teams lost their opening games in identical fashion (2-1) to Hamburg and the UAE respectively.
The UAE team put up a promising show against their opponents. This prompted coach Bruno Metsu to state that he was satisfied with their form before the Gulf Cup commences next week in Abu Dhabi.
Metsu, however, cautioned that the results were obtained in a warm-up game and too much should not be read into it.
"The win will not deceive me," said Metsu. " Its not like the official matches which we will play in the Gulf Cup next week."
"The reason behind playing warm-up games is to identify and rectify our mistakes. But I am pleased with the outcome. It was a profitable test which will help us boost our morale and fine tune our technical aspects," the UAE coach said.
The only negative point in the UAE win was the absence of the UAE supporters who didn't turn up to back their side against the German club.
"This could be a good rehearsal for the UAE supporters before the Gulf Cup. Unfortunately they didn't come with the numbers which we were expecting. I hope they will come today against Hamburg to fill the Al Maktoum stadium and support the team to win the trophy," said Ali Bujsaim, UAE FA board member.
Metsu started the game with Walid Salim (goalkeeper); Adil Abdul Aziz, Bashir Saeed, Rashid Abdul Rahman, Haydar Allo Ali (defence). Hilal Saeed, Salim Khamis, Abdul Rahim Juma, Esmail Mattar (midfield). Mohammad Omar and Faisal Khalil (strikers)
The UAE players implemented Metsu's tactics perfectly, especially at the front when Esmail Mattar and Mohammad Omar scored following incisive passes and fine breakthroughs by Faisal Khalil, Salim Khamis and Abdul Rahim Juma.
They could have scored more goals, but were unlucky.
Hamburg will attempt to win the trophy by beating the UAE and wipe out bad memories of home, where they are placed second from the bottom in the Bundesliga with a single win in 17 outings.
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