Sport | Football

Ze Mario wary of Iraqis' passion

Al Wasl clash today with Al Quwa Al Jawiya of Iraq in their first match in Group B of the 2008 Asian Champions League at the Al Wasl stadium, with a 7:30pm kick-off.

  • By Sayed Ali, Senior Reporter
  • Published: 23:41 March 11, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News
  • Alexander Olivera of Al Wasl (left) will play an important role in his club's pursuit of victory against the Iraqi club today.

Dubai: Al Wasl clash today with Al Quwa Al Jawiya of Iraq in their first match in Group B of the 2008 Asian Champions League at the Al Wasl stadium, with a 7:30pm kick-off.

"I do not know much about the Iraqi team, but I sent my assistant to watch them during a warm-up match in Sharjah last week. They are representing Iraqi football which is peculiar with enthusiasm and intensity," said the Al Wasl coach Ze Mario yesterday.

Abdullah Eisa, the Al Wasl skipper, asked the UAE supporters to come to the stadium and back the team in this tough match.

"We are representing the UAE and not Al Wasl club, we hope supporters from all clubs will fill the stadium today" said Eisa.

Will not deceive

Al Wasl - who clinched the double of the President's Cup and league title last season - have began the current season in disastrous fashion, losing six matches to leave them languishing in eighth place with just 18 points.

"The current position of Al Wasl will not deceive us. We know them as one of the strongest clubs in the GCC countries. I know a lot of Al Wasl players, all of them are talented and will make things difficult for us," said the Iraqi coach Hamid Salman.

He added that the match will be difficult for both teams due to the desire of each of them to win the first three points.

Al Quwa Al Jawiya - who are topping their league in Iraq - held a 10-day training camp in Sharjah and played a warm-up match against the Abu Dhabi Police team and won it 4-2.

The tie will be officiated by Saudi ref Khalil Al Ghamdi, while the assistant refs are Mohammad Al Ghamdi and Hamdi Al Qadery.

Al Wasl probables: Majid Naser, Sami Rabea, Abdullah Eisa, Wahid Esmail, Tariq Hasan, Ali Mahmoud, Tariq Darwish, Eisa Ali, Khalid Darwish, Alexander Olivera and Andre Diaz.

Al Quwa Al Jawiya: Wisam Qasid, Ali Hasan, Zuhair Fadil, Azhar Taher, Jasim Sawadi, Mukhalad Ali, Yasir Abdul Mohsin, Muthanna Khalid, Ahmad Eyad, Akram Hashim, Ali Mansour, Ebrahim Kamil, Hamoudy Qazim, Haitham Taher, Haitham Jasim, Ali Abdul Jabar, Hussain Ali, Haydar Rahim.

More from Football

  1. Ivorians coast to final with Zambia

  2. Can fading stars alone prop up PLS?

  3. Oliveira toys with Sharjah in Al Jazira's win

  4. Caligdong defies pain to train with Azkals

All articles in Football

More from Sport

Gulf News
Popular in Sport
A physiotherapist attends to Philippine Azkals’ vice-captain Emelio ‘Chieffy’ Caligdong during the first practice session of the Philippine national football team at the Al Nasr Sports Club in Dubai on Wednesday.

Football

Caligdong defies pain to train with Azkals

Marcel Siem in action on Day One of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Moist early morning conditions affected the German’s game, who now trails the leader by two shots.

Golf

Mud balls wreak havoc for Siem

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar is awarded the Hall of Fame cap by another former captain, Kapil Dev, as (from left) former cricketers Waqar Younis, Rameez Raja and Aamir Sohail; M.K. Lokesh, India’s Ambassador to the UAE; Haroon Lorgat, ICC chief executive; and Ajay Sethi, Channel 2 Group Corporation chairman, look on at a ceremony held at Sethi’s house on Wednesday.

Cricket

Gavaskar inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

Sport Editor's choice