Sport | Football
UAE face Saudis in quarters
The UAE Under-19 soccer team will meet hosts Saudi Arabia on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Asian Youth Championships.
- By Sayed Ali, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:32 November 5, 2008
- Saudi Arabia (in white) will meet the UAE Under-19 on Saturday.
- Image Credit: Gulf News archive
Dubai: The UAE Under-19 soccer team will meet hosts Saudi Arabia on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Asian Youth Championships.
A win against the hosts at the Mohammad Bin Fahd stadium in Dammam would take the UAE to the World Youth Cup finals which will be held in Egypt next year.
UAE defeated Syria 2-0 on Tuesday at Saud Bin Jalawi stadium in Al Khobar in their last match in Group B.
The win maintained UAE's 100 per cent record, winning all three matches in the group after beating Iraq 2-1, South Korea 2-1 and Syria 2-0.
They topped the group with nine points while Saudi Arabia were runners-up in Group A.
South Korea finished second in Group B after defeating Iraq 2-1 and they meet Japan, who were top in Group A, in the other quarterfinal on Saturday.
Syria finished at the bottom of Group B without a single point.
UAE coach Mehdi Ali said they went into their final group game wanting to win so they would finish on top.
He said: "We came to win three points to stay on top of the group.
"Meeting Japan or Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals make no difference for us. Both teams are strong and we have to beat one of them if we are to qualify to the World cup."
The UAE coach said there was point in looking to see who you would play in the next round.
He said: "The only option is to win without being worried or thinking too much about your opponent.
"Reaching the quarters will guarantee us a place in the World cup finals in Egypt next year."
He praised his players efforts in the three matches played in group B so far.
"They did well in all matches, deserved to win and top the group.
"I hope we continue with the same good standard and high morale in the quarterfinals match against the hosts," said the coach.
Rough tackling from the Syrians against the UAE cost them defender Ziyad Ajooz who was sent-off in the 32nd minute for a challenge on Mohammad Khalifa.
The dismissal badly affected the Syrians and gave UAE the space to dominate the midfield, attacking the Syrian goal most of the time.
UAE skipper Hamdan Kamali scored the team's first goal in the 54th minute with a shot that deflected off a Syrian defender and past goalkeeper Medina.
Mohammad Fawzi sealed victory for UAE by scoring the second goal in the last minute following a cross from Ahmad Ali with Fawzi's powerful header beating the Syrian keeper.
Dh3m for insurance contracts
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and Dubai Sports Council (DSC), has granted Dh3 million for the insurance contracts of the Emirati professional players in the Dubai clubs. Shaikh Hamdan's generosity is meant to ease financial pressures on the clubs and help them take care of their players and achieve success, announced Mattar Al Tayer, DSC deputy chairman. Al Tayer said the insurance contracts cover injuries temporary and permanent disabilities and also death..
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