Can Mattar rework magic for UAE?

Doha: The UAE's best finish in the Asian Cup has been the runners-up position in 1996 when the event was played in the UAE. The squad at that time included Adnan Al Talyani, one of the country's best footballers.

Al Talyani played a key role in the UAE's qualification for the 1990 World Cup held in Italy and brought the nation closer to realising its Asian Cup dream — long before it was shattered in a shoot-out against Saudi Arabia at the Zayed Sports City.

However in 2003, the UAE found a successor to the great Al Talyani in Esmail Mattar, the young striker from Al Wahda.

Despite playing in the under-20, under-23 Olympic team, the senior UAE national team and club Al Wahda, Mattar burst on to the international scene in 2003 leading the UAE to its first quarter-final presence — in the Fifa World Youth Cup — and eventually winning the "Player of the Tournament" award.

Mattar was voted ahead of Andreas Iniesta who is now a Spain and Barcelona star.

Four years after his explosive display in the Fifa Youth Cup, Mattar gave the UAE and its football fans one of the greatest triumphs when he nearly single-handedly carved out a Gulf Cup triumph.

A 92nd minute winner, in addition to a goal earlier in the game, gave the UAE a 3-2 win over Kuwait and a berth in the semis. A 91st minute strike helped the UAE defeat a strong Saudi Arabia team to make it to the finals against Oman.

The UAE had lost to Oman 1-2 in the opening match of the tournament with Mattar scoring UAE's goal.

However, when they met again at the Zayed Sports City stadium, the Al Wahda star struck the match-winner in the 72nd minute, thereby helping the football-crazy nation lift its biggest success after the 1990 World Cup qualification.

Back to test

Now, four years later, the UAE's hopes of success in the Asian Cup, which kicks off today in Doha, Qatar, once again rests on Mattar's shoulders.

The 27-year-old striker is without doubt one of the most feared on the Asian continent — making him one of the most "marked" forwards in the event.

However, Mattar's first aim would be to ensure the UAE emerges as one of the top two teams from the four in what can be termed as a "Group of Death".

Defending champions Iraq, strong contenders Iran and an equally strong North Korea are in the UAE's group too. Despite playing for club and country for nearly a decade now, Mattar has also been at the receiving end by rival defenders.

However, he continues to have speed, control and skill to break through and score.

Mattar has a lot of fans in Qatar as the star — who has been wooed by some of the top clubs in Asia as well as a few in Europe — had a minor loan spell with Al Sadd in May 2009. Mattar will play without his Al Wahda club mates Abdul Rahim Juma, Haider Alo Ali, Fahad Masoud, Basheer Saeed, Adel Al Hosani and former club-mate Abdul Salam Juma (some injured, some retired) — who have all played alongside him with the national team.

This no doubt burdens Mattar.

However, with a group of highly-skilled youngsters around him — and some experienced players such as Subait Khater, Yousuf Jaber, and goalkeeper Majed Nasser — the UAE star will be looking to inspire the next generation and script another UAE triumph.