The national football team achieved a valuable victory over its host, the Qatari team, on its home ground and in front of its fans, with three goals to one, the day before yesterday, to return from Doha with three valuable points, starting its journey strongly in the first group in the decisive qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Despite the team falling behind by a goal in the second half, the “Whites” regained their balance and succeeded in turning the tables on the “Al-Annabi” in the second half, scoring three goals at once and surprising the star-studded Asian champion.
The Whites presented one of the most beautiful and strongest matches in the recent period, while the interventions of the Portuguese coach Paulo Bento, especially in the second half, and his change in the playing strategy followed by the team in the first half, represented an important and decisive factor against a team playing on its home ground and among its fans, and holding the continental title.
The three goals of the “Whites” came in a beautiful way, as Hareb Abdullah (68) scored with a powerful shot inside the penalty area, after dribbling past the Qatari defense and goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, and confidently shot the ball into the goal, while Khalid Al Dhanhani’s goal (80) came from a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, while Ali Saleh scored the third goal (94) with a powerful and wonderful shot.
This great victory whets the appetite of the “White” players when the team hosts its Iranian counterpart next Tuesday, at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, in the second round.
The Whites topped Group 1 with three points, on goal difference from Iran and Uzbekistan, while Qatar, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea remained in the same group without points in the first round.
Seven technical factors stand out behind the superiority of the “Whites”, represented by the good defensive and offensive organization, after it was able to overcome the effects of the shock of conceding a goal in the first half (38) by the player Ibrahim Al-Hassan, taking advantage of the absence of good defensive coverage, in addition to the success of the “Whites” defense and behind it goalkeeper Khaled Issa in limiting the danger of the Qatari national team players, especially the trio Akram Afif, Ismail Mohammed and Almoez Ali, in addition to the positive changes made by the Portuguese coach Pinto, and his success in turning the tables on the Qatari national team in the second half, especially the participation of the player Ali Saleh to strengthen the offensive side, in addition to Pinto’s good reading of the course of the match in the second half, after he spoke in the players’ room during the break and asked them to be calm and focus well on the field.
The Whites also exploited the defensive errors of the Qatari national team and the unsuccessful interventions of Qatar’s Spanish coach Lopez, especially his withdrawal of player Ibrahim Al-Hassan, who scored the first goal, in addition to the great brilliance of the Whites’ men, especially the trio Harb Abdullah, Khaled Al-Dhanhani and Ali Saleh, and their insistence on embracing the Qatari national team’s net.
• “Al-Abyad” presented one of its most beautiful and strongest matches in the recent period.
Group 1 teams ranking
1- UAE (3 points).
2- Iran (3 points).
3- Uzbekistan (3 points).
4- Kyrgyzstan (no points).
5- North Korea (no points).
6- Qatar (without dots).
7 Technical Factors
1- The good defensive and offensive organization of the team, especially in the second half, during which it completely controlled the game and scored its three goals.
2- The defense succeeded in limiting the danger of the Al-Annabi players, especially the trio Akram Afif, Almoez Ali and Ismail Mohammed.
3- The positive changes made by Pinto in the second half by bringing in Ali Saleh who scored the third goal.
4- The team exploited the Al-Annabi defensive mistakes in the second half and scored three played goals.
5- The high spirit of the national team players and overcoming the effects of conceding a goal in the first half, after the coach intervened in the locker room between the two halves.
6- The unsuccessful interventions of the Qatari national team coach, the Spaniard Lopez, in the second half, especially his withdrawal of player Ibrahim Al-Hassan, who scored the first goal in the match.
7- The brilliance of the “White” men, especially the trio Harb Abdullah, Khaled Al-Dhanhani and Ali Saleh, and their insistence on embracing the Qatari national team’s net.
Hassan Suhail: I hope the team will continue at the same level in the upcoming match against Iran
Former international player and former supervisor of the national football team, Dr. Hassan Suhail, confirmed that the team players presented a level worthy of the UAE team, pointing out that the interventions of Portuguese coach Paulo Bento and the positive substitutions he made in the second half, in addition to the manly and combative performance of the players, made a difference in the team’s ranks. In addition, Bento boosted the players’ self-confidence, despite the team being behind by a goal in the first half, noting that the “White” men appeared in an honorable manner against the Asian champion.
Hassan Suhail told Al-Emarat Al-Youm: “The national team men did not fall short, especially in the second half, during which they presented a level befitting the UAE national team, despite the fact that the team started the match in the first half with some reservation and lack of focus against the Asian champion, and against a team that was homogeneous due to the presence of its players with each other for a long time.”
Hassan Suhail pointed out that the team appeared in this match cohesive and strong and presented an honorable image of Emirati football, noting that he hopes to continue at this same level, especially in the upcoming match against Iran, after collecting the first three points in its journey in these qualifiers.
Hassan Suhail continued: “If the team continues at this level, everyone will see a terrifying and strong team, and it will be a strong competitor in the upcoming tournaments in Asia.”
