Abu Dhabi: A daunting away fixture against pumped-up opponents, in front of partisan fans and laden with historical significance always focuses the minds of the most confident of footballers.
As such, the UAE national team were never in danger of being complacent about visiting Palestine for the hosts’ first official home fixture since 2011 and only their fourth in total in their country.
Last Thursday, the UAE overwhelmed Malaysia 10-0 in their second 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying Asian zone Group A match — their second-biggest victory ever following a 12-0 rout of Brunei away in 2001.
But coach Mahdi Ali was typically cautious rather than jubilant, warning that his side needed to be “100 per cent prepared” for the exacting West Bank assignment to come on Tuesday.
His pragmatism is prudent, according to UAE legend Abdul Rahman Mohammad, who captained the Whites at their only previous World Cup appearance at Italia 90.
The former defensive midfielder said that Palestine’s impressive qualifying performances, “a difficult atmosphere” and the fact that they would be playing on an artifical pitch would be a severe test of the UAE’s mettle.
But he is adamant that the Whites’ “team of heroes” should play without fear and seize their goalscoring opprortunities as clinically as they did in Thursday’s demolition job.
The crushing victory took them top of Group A on six points, ahead of second-place Saudi Arabia on goal difference and three clear of Palestine in third.
In January, the Whites came third at the Asian Cup in Australia after some scintillating performances, while Palestine lost all of their three group games, scoring only once and conceding 11 goals.
But Abdul Nasser Barakat’s men, who are ranked 49 places below the UAE in the Fifa rankings at 119, have improved markedly since then.
In their two opening World Cup qualifiers, they were beaten only 3-2 away by Saudi Arabia and then thrashed Malaysia 6-0 away in June.
Speaking to the Arabic press, Mohammad said of Palestine’s pedigree: “The Palestinian team was very organised on the pitch in these games. There is no doubt that our team might be affected by travel fatigue and pressure, but we must go there thinking of getting three points only.
“We should not fear this [game], though, as the UAE has a team of heroes and have experienced a lot of difficult situations.”
However, Mohammad went on to acknowledge that an intimidating home crowd and the occasional unpredictability of football could be key.
He added: “Certainly the atmosphere will be difficult, given the enthusiasm and motivation of Palestine. But what I’d warn about is the surprises football throws up. The proof of that is Singapore managed to draw 0-0 in Japan [in June].”
Another intriguing sub-plot of what promises to be a fascinating encounter is the fact that the Faisal Al Hussaini International Stadium pitch is artificial.
Mohammad conceded that the UAE’s performance could be compromised by the surface, but praised Ali’s meticulous decision to train on comparable turf in Amman, Jordan, in the days leading up to the match.
On paper, the UAE are superior to their opponents on every level, apart from in terms of head-to-head record from the four games they have played, with both countries earning a win apiece.
The last time the pair met, in February 2012, the UAE won 3-0 at home, two-and-a-half years after drawing another friendly 1-1.
Three years earlier, Palestine drew 0-0 with the Whites in the West Asian Football Federation Championship, while in their first encounter, in 2006, they beat the UAE 1-0 in the Pan Arab Games.
But it is not from these clashes of the past that the UAE will draw inspiration.
Instead, it will be their dazzling displays Down Under in the Asian Cup this year, or their Gulf Cup success of 2013 in Bahrain, which will imbue Ali’s charges with confidence that they can survive another stern examination on foreign soil.
If they do this, they would be one step closer to being a true “team of heroes” and realising their goal of emulating Mohammad and his fellow 1990 history men.
