Asian Cup test for young UAE side

Dubai: The UAE senior national team will today clash with Malaysia in their first match in the Asian Cup qualifiers group C at the MBPJ stadium in Kuala Lumpur, match kick off will be at 4.45 pm.

The UAE team who arrived in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday completed preparations for the match yesterday by training at the match's venue under French coach Dominique Bathenay who claimed that the match is of great importance for the UAE.

"A win today will be an excellent starting which will help us play the second match next week against Uzbekistan with high morale," said Bathenay.

The UAE team could miss the services of right winger Esmail Hammadi who was injured in a training session last week.

However, the good news for the UAE is that Ahmad Khalil the Asian best young player of the year is fit and could be a starter if Bathenay wants him to start.

Khalil didn't take part with the UAE team in the Gulf Cup concluded recently in Muscat due to injury.

UAE skipper Mohammad Omar claimed that they put the results of the Gulf Cup behind them and looking forward to achieve a good result in today's match against Malaysia in the Asian Cup qualifiers. "The Gulf Cup defeat is an event from the past and we will be looking forward to achieve good results in the Asian Cup qualifiers and the 2010 World Cup qualifiers," said the UAE skipper.

The UAE coach will, however, not have enough time to make major changes in his formation and to change the team.

He will have to make do with the same team that played in the Gulf Cup in Muscat, just only ten days after the UAE's last match in the Gulf Cup against Saudi Arabia on January 11.

The main concern that will be troubling the UAE coach today will be his defence line, which is made up mainly of young and inexperienced players in a match which will require depth and maturity.

Experienced players like Rashid Abdul Rahman and Bashir Saeed were dismissed by the coach, while Mohammad Qasim was injured in the Gulf cup last match against Saudi Arabia , in which UAE lost 3-0 after Qasim went out injured.