Action from the match between the UAE Olympic team and Hong Kong. ©Gulf News |
The match at the Al Maktoum stadium enticed few supporters due to the heat which also threw up sluggish play.
The UAE coach Roy Hodgson fielded the same 11 schedule to start against Thailand: Ismail Rabea goalkeeper, Khalid Ali, Mussa Mohammed, Mohammed Qassim, Ali Messari in defence, Tawfiq Abdul Razaq, Hasan Ali, Faisal Ali, Rami Yasslam in midfield and Ismail Mattar and Faisal Khalil at the front line.
Hodgson adopted the 4-4-2 tactics which the hosts implemented well.
Although the match was not a tough test for the UAE players, due to the difference in talent and tactics between the two sides, the visitors gave the hosts a run for their money at times. The hosts could have won by a bigger margin had Faisal Khalil, Faisal Ali and Mattar not missed their chances.
Ismail Mattar opened the scoring for UAE in the 19th minute, following a free kick from 35 meters, his powerful shot went to the left of Goldbert Chi.
The UAE attacks gathered momentum with Faisal Khalil and Faisal Ali squandering two scoring opportunities.
Mattar added the second goal in the 37th minute, a replica of the first strike.
A minute before the break, Hasan Ali slotted a penalty home after the Hong Kong goalkeeper brought down Faisal Ali inside the box. Hong Kong pulled one back a minute into the second half through substitute Cheng Siu.
For the UAE it was a story of missed chances with Faisal Khalil having a bad day. Khalil was substituted by Walid Murad in the 69th minute and Nawaf Mubarak, who also came as substitute, scored thefourth goal six minutes from time after receiving a long ball from Khalid Ali.
Nawaf went past the hapless goalkeeper to slot the ball home.
