Sport | Football

Young players 'were outstanding'

The UAE senior national team players were happy with the under 19's achievement in clinching the Asian title.

  • By Sayed Ali, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:41 November 15, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Esmail Mattar trains with other members of the UAE national team. The player has praised the under-19 team following their victory clinching the Asian title.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Dubai: The UAE senior national team players were happy with the under 19's achievement in clinching the Asian title.

"Our youth team players proved they were real heros and deserved to win the Asian cup," said Esmail Mattar after a training session for the senior team at the Al Nasr club.

"I think what they showed is a good lesson for all of us to take care of these talented young players armed with a fighting spirit which was a major factor in winning the Asian title," said Mattar.

UAE midfielder Sibait Khater said that what was achieved by the youth team proved nothing is impossible in soccer.

"Our young players were outstanding, they achieved what most people thought was impossible. I think the best reward for these players is to play regularly for their clubs in the league, because I heard most of them were reserves sitting on the bench," said Khater.

Meanwhile the UAE seniors continued training last night at the Al Maktoum stadium preparing for the important World cup qualifiers on Wednesday against Iran at the Al Maktoum stadium. Fahd Ali, senior team administrator said all the players were fit and ready.

"We began training last Wednesday, the players came from a busy league schedule, a few of them were carrying slight injuries like Walid Abbas and Ali Wehaibi, but now they are OK. Only Mohammad Ebrahim was injured in the training session on Thursday, we are waiting for the doctor's report to decide about him," said Ali.

The UAE team administrator said team coach Dominique Bathenay selected youth team striker Ahmad Khalil to join the seniors for the Iran match. "The coach was pleased with the youth performances in the Asian cup. He named Ahmad Khalil who will join the team's training camp today, I am sure he will be a good addition to our striking force," he said.

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