UAE's match against Al Jazira called off

Frenchman, Georges Korac, the head coach of the UAE junior national football team, opted to give his players some rest and cancelled yesterday's friendly match against Al Jazira.

The match was planned to prepare the team for the finals of the Asian under-17 championship, which the UAE is hosting in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, from September 6-22.

The UAE youngsters will compete in the first group with China, India and Myanmar. They kick-off their campaign against Myanmar on Friday, while China will face India in the first match of the tournament, the same day at 5:40pm.

Vietnam, Yemen, Pakistan and Korea will compete in the second group while Qatar, Japan, Syria and Uzbekistan are grouped in the third. The first and third groups will play at Al Nahyan Stadium, in Al Wahda Club here, while the second group will compete at Al Shabab Stadium, in Dubai.

The UAE played their last friendly against Al Wahda under-18 team on Friday and settled for a goalless draw. It was their only domestic match after returning from Tehran last week, where they won the International friendly under-17 tournament.

Korac expressed his satisfaction with the performance of the team against Al Wahda and said that he cancelled yesterday's match to spare his players from injuries and fatigue as only four days remain for the start of the Asian championship.

The UAE's line-up in the finals is expected to feature: Yousuf Abdullah in goal; Tilal Abdullah, Nasir Khamis, Mahmoud Mohammed and Osama Jaafar in defence; Abdul Karim Abdullah, Saeed Al Saygh, Faisal Mohammed and Abdullah Mubarak in midfield; while Ahmed Jumaa Anbar and Abdullah Al Noobi will form the UAE's attacking force. It is the same line-up that won the friendly tournament in Iran.

Salah Al Salloumi, the team manager, said the team had finished its preparations for the competition and the technical and administrative staff had complete confidence in the players to honourably represent their country in the championship.

Al Salloumi said earlier: "We have great respect for our opponents in the group, but we also have complete faith in our players. Winning the tournament in Iran will not allow us to take any team for granted.

"We will have to be extra cautious against all the teams and keen to do our best. We have told our players to forget about the Iranian tournament and have asked them to concentrate on the Asian championship."

Meanwhile, the UAE's youngsters continued their training camp at the Abu Dhabi Armed Forces Officers Club, the tournament hotel. The other teams are expected to arrive within the next few days.

In addition many senior officials from the Asian Football Confederation including the new president, Mohammed bin Hammam are expected to arrive.

He will meet Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE FA, to discuss ways to improve the technical standards of the game in the continent and to support their demand from FIFA to increase the Asian seats in the 2006 World Cup finals, in Germany.

The AFC have announced its officials to referee the matches of the tournament, including 16 referees and linesmen.