Abu Dhabi: The UAE will warm up for this month’s final 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier of the year against Iraq in Abu Dhabi with a friendly against Bahrain in Al Ain on Wednesday.
A 23-man squad — of which the most notable inclusion is a recall for the 112-time-capped Al Wahda striker Esmail Mattar — will begin training in Al Ain on Friday ahead of the clash at the Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Stadium.
Mahdi Ali’s men will expect to record a morale-boosting victory ahead of the more exacting test to come against opponents ranked 123rd in the Fifa World Rankings, 53 places below the Whites.
The two sides’ last meeting was at the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia, which the UAE won 2-1.
Of far greater importance, however, is the game against Iraq at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium on Tuesday, November 15.
It is the UAE’s fourth game in the third and final qualification phrase for the 2018 World Cup and the UAE currently lie fourth in Group B, with only the top-two countries progressing to the tournament.
The UAE began their quest to reach their second World Cup after Italia 1990 by winning 2-1 away in Japan last month, before losing 1-0 at home to the reigning Asian champions Australia five days later.
Last month, Ali’s side recorded a comfortable 3-1 home win over Thailand, before suffering a devastating 3-0 defeat away to arch-rivals and group leaders Saudi Arabia.
The UAE currently trail the Green Falcons by four points, with Australia second on eight points and Japan a point behind in third, so victory is essential against the Iraqis to maintain their qualification hopes.
