Abu Dhabi: The UAE national football team were dealt a blow on Tuesday after talismanic midfielder Omar Abdul Rahman pulled out of their friendly double-header against Australia and Uzbekistan due to a niggling knee injury.
The Al Ain star has reportedly travelled to Spain to undergo treatment on the ailment, which he exacerbated during his club’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League semi-final defeat to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal last week.
UAE coach Mahdi Ali had named the playmaker in his 24-man squad for Friday’s clash with Australia and next Tuesday’s encounter with the Uzbeks — both of which will be held at Abu Dhabi’s Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium.
The 23-year-old missed Al Ain’s 4-3 Arabian Gulf League defeat at Al Jazira on Sunday due to the injury, with his club coach Zlatko Dalic pleading with the UAE to spare him national duty to afford him time to rest and recuperate. He is expected to be fit again in seven to 10 days, meaning he should return to action for Al Ain when they host Al Dhafra in the Arabian Gulf League on Friday, October 17.
Meanwhile, the promising early-season form of Omar’s brother and fellow Al Ain midfielder, Mohammad, has seen him win a call-up to the squad.
He scored with a superb first-time shot in Al Ain’s “Al Clasico” defeat to Al Jazira and was instrumental in play throughout.
Defender Hamdan Al Kamali is also available for national selection after returning from injury with AGL league leaders Al Wahda recently. The forthcoming friendlies are the final preparation games for the UAE before they take part in next month’s Gulf Cup of Nations in Saudi Arabia.
Defending champions the UAE are in Group B of the event, where they will play Oman, Kuwait and Iraq.
They will then play friendlies against Jordan on December 31 and Kuwait on January 4 before the Asian Cup in Australia from January 11, where they have been drawn in Group C with Iran, Qatar and Bahrain.
