UAE make finals with clinical win over Yemen

Dubai: The UAE youth under-20 football team qualified to the Asian Youth Cup finals after defeating Yemen 2-0 yesterday to top group C with six points from two matches. UAE had earlier crushed Palestine 6-0 on Friday.

The match held at the Al Maktoum stadium in Dubai was attended by a big crowd of UAE and Yemeni supporters, who lent vocal support their two teams.

The UAE had reached the finals, to be held in India next year with the other group winners to decide on the Asian youth champions and the four countries who will qualify to the World Youth Championships in 2007.

"Although we had two chances to top the group either with a win or draw due to the three goal difference on our favour, but we didn't play for a draw. We played attacking football from the start, succeeded in scoring the first goal two minutes before half-time and sealed victory in the second," Khalifa Mubarak, the UAE coach, told the post-match press conference.

The UAE coach said that Yemen is not an easy team. "They gave us a run for our money in the first half, but they lacked good finish," said the UAE coach.

The Yemen youth were the better side in the first 45 minutes. They dominated most of the first half by taking control of the midfield area with dynamic moves by Sami Abbod, Wesam Ateiq and Ala Al Sasi.

The UAE frontliners didn't get enough supply from their midfielders to create danger against the Yemeni goal due to the domination of the Yemeni midfielders.

Talal Hamad, the UAE defender, cleared the ball from the goalline in the 21st minute following a header by Amjad Jaber it was the most dangerous chance for Yemen in the first session.

Saeed Salim, who came as a substitute in the 27th minute, opened the score for the UAE two minutes before the break. Abdullah Al Noubi crossed from the right flank and Salim's powerful header beat Yem-eni custodian Saud Al Sowadi.

The UAE took the initiative in the second half. They shared dominance in midfield with the Yemenis, Amir Mubarak, Abdullah Noubi and Khalid Sebil showing a better form and created several scoring chances for Naser Khamis and Saeed Salim.

The Yemeni attacks were focused on Dammag Zakarya, who found it tough to go past UAE brothers Mussalam and Fawzi Faiz in the defence, Talal and Mahmoud Qasim. UAE goalkeeper Ali Khaseif grabbed all the crossings sent by the Yemeni players, he blocked all their attempts to score.

The UAE coach Khalifa Mubarak was lucky with his second substitute when he brought in Mohammad Ebrahim in 70th minute.

After three minutes of his entry, Ebrahim sent in a high cross following a free kick, which Naser Khamis chested down and fired a powerful shot to the left of the Yemeni keeper to seal the victory and send the UAE to the finals.