UAE gear up for Uzbekistan challenge

Sharjah: Last night the UAE national soccer team resumed training at Sharjah stadium, preparing for their second match in the Asian Cup qualifiers group C against Uzbekistan on Wednesday, following a two day rest after returning from Kuala Lumpur on Thursday morning.

The UAE's resounding 5-0 win against Malaysia in their first match in the qualifiers last Wednesday in raised the players morale following their exit from the Gulf Cup in Muscat.

"The win against Malaysia came at the right time. The players were in need of that win following our last defeat from Saudi Arabia in the Gulf cup," Fahd Ali the UAE team administrator told Gulf News before the players started assembling yesterday.

"The return of Ahmad Khalil, and the good start of Mahmoud Khamis in addition to the excellent standard the team showed in the match, was a good advantage for us. I hope this fine morale helps us in clinching the three points against Uzbekistan on Wednesday," said Ali. The UAE's right winger Esmail Hammadi, who was injured before the Malaysia match, will be checked by the team's doctor to see whether he can play on Wednesday.

"I hope Hammadi will recover and be fit for the match, but we will wait to see the doctor's report."

The UAE team adminstrator said the match against the Uzbeks would not be an easy. "The match against Uzbekistan will be different than the Malaysia match. Uzbekistan are a strong team and our clash against them will not be easy. We have to double our efforts to beat them if we want to top group C and qualify to the Asian Cup finals in 2011 in Qatar," he said.

The UAE team will continue training under French coach Dominique Bathenay at Sharjah stadium until Wednesday and will meet Uzbekistan at the same venue.

The Uzbekistan team arrived last Wednesday and held training sessions at Sharjah and Ajman stadiums. They came to the UAE early to acclimatise to the weather.