Abu Dhabi: Mahdi Ali, the head coach of the UAE Olympic football team, has closed off his team from the media so that players will not be distracted in the build-up to their crucial match against Australia in the qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The UAE lead their qualifying group with eight points alongside Uzbekistan, who face Iraq in Doha on Tuesday, with the top team in the group securing a place at the Games.
Ali has closed the training sessions, no interviews or pictures are allowed and his players are kept away from reporters and photographers as the coaching staff make some changes to the side that beat Iraq by a single goal in their last match.
The squad has been boosted by the return of defender Hamdan Al Kamali, who last month signed for Lyon in France, striker Ahmad Khalil and midfielder Omar Abdul Rahman, who all played a big role in the victories achieved by the team since playing together at junior level.
Al Kamali, Khalil and Abdul Rahman are expected to feature in the starting line-up against Australia on Wednesday at Al Jazira's Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium.
Midfielder and stand-in captain Mohammad Fawzi asked for all football fans in the UAE to come and support the team. "Our fans will play a big role in helping the players to win the crucial match. Australia is a good team and we will have to be at our best to beat them," said Fawzi, who will turn 21 on the day of the game.
"It is of great importance to keep our focus in the match and try to concentrate in finishing our attacking moves. Losing sitters will be an unforgivable mistake. I hope the three points from the match will be my birthday gift from my colleagues," he said.
The UAE settled for a goalless tie with the Australians in their first meeting in Sydney last year.
Meanwhile, UAE midfielder Amer Abdul Rahman is still suffering from the injury he sustained during the friendly match against Chinese club Dalian last week and he might not take part against Australia.
