![UAE fans before the start of the match,](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O53Y5J6ECJJ4RQFAGK7YRAGPE4.jpg?smart=true&auth=1ec7d56e95230073eceaeceffe0d4865811e1f626904295421d18635c3235dd9&width=400&height=225)
![UAE players celebrate their opening goal during their 3-2 win over Kyrgyzstan in the second round of the Asian Cup. All photos by Pawan Singh / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6DKI6OLCJO2U5U3O6AGSGKHDXQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9395ec72360485aa440a03c9603166fc290360c581c5f85276f4a38d611799a8&width=400&height=225)
![Kyrgyzstan fans cheer during the match at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VC5ASQRT4GQ5X7MTYQ7J2K644Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=a4dce7583aa7492cc426327ff5fa55ecef529475b1bfbbec46e8d9dfed44e5a7&width=400&height=225)
![Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi, left, in action.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/M6I5AHOS44N3IUDBPDMJZIA7M4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ce6110bba05a2ae2e18429ea1962a378c20cbae849a461730d62868ba3eb7541&width=400&height=225)
![Khamis Esmaeel Zayed in action.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G4BZX7ZTBNAAVXFGIQBPCPERJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=38ac1cb5837934dd539eee1531a79a8c871bd55388e1a61951f1b7c94b1f0343&width=400&height=225)
![Ismail Ahmed Mohamed, left, pursued by Kyrgyzstan's Vitalij Lux.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ISWC766RZVBYI3HLD5HDMQSE2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=35aae6682934e398e7ad40d24e37d243a38b462219da4c54fc58236f8c24f6b4&width=400&height=225)
![Khamis Esmaeel Zayed and Sagynbaev Bekzhan in action.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/D6BCPRPAYIWYFJI3VFKRFQQIDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ac4039d2b14ec8065102f7d2bc6d5d91a8470a4a44a3c0a5c985d3a876eaa18&width=400&height=225)
![Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi, centre, is halted by two Kyrgyzstan defenders.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/36N25ONXJZ6AWK2IKLMGAS3YDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=30238fb2b896dfe18576902be860bcb7be27730f8e7467ec3ff9cb7dee550e05&width=400&height=225)
![Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi, right, of UAE, runs with the ball.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JR6EAJWNPXZOSXGJQEVEHO2VZI.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ffdd1f8c95bcfade123639527d3a439d0659115cee2ef96eb798a86090d3f9d&width=400&height=225)
![UAE's Khalfan Mubarak Al Shamsi, centre, tracks a Kyrgyzstan attack.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VYQO7HXGBOVA7D7HEEBCZD7GTM.jpg?smart=true&auth=41fb5f99129c82dfdd11e77efff6ee83e3ecc290a0989aa52fba779e3dba1e31&width=400&height=225)
![Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi takes a shot.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NTPE43PXLMUESHL3OVVTKUHDQA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6b224b95fdc41b7914f73bb887e13233735399f132f594a33afb2beee8d277a9&width=400&height=225)
![UAE manager Alberto Zaccheroni.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TG7JUTPZACLQVLZ5ONPY3V35X4.jpg?smart=true&auth=345fdfcb36a51b94deca387a5f1f66df1400f17c773a6a607e84e3ad52c38140&width=400&height=225)
![UAE manager Alberto Zaccheroni.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VEGDB5YV4HGF3O7E623DHDT5S4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3694e0bb0579da6754bfd930e8a788fb47cb4553c14fca1626a3997edb982565&width=400&height=225)
![Khamis Esmaeel, centre, blocks the ball.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O566FKOHVMS57TPEPQNFNHXTN4.jpg?smart=true&auth=d2cdb8ec07a695b5a5b21bc05577a95251df8b922cfb21079c0267879b186f0c&width=400&height=225)
![Sagynbaev Bekzhan, right, of Kyrgyzstan runs with the ball.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XQR2K3PB756C3DJBHG7T43SLUU.jpg?smart=true&auth=363dc6899635cd6d0a5f3d0c5b1ec69df4f1a3043ac9b961b2d01e554e05793e&width=400&height=225)
![UAE fans before the start of the match,](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O53Y5J6ECJJ4RQFAGK7YRAGPE4.jpg?smart=true&auth=1ec7d56e95230073eceaeceffe0d4865811e1f626904295421d18635c3235dd9&width=400&height=225)
![UAE players celebrate their opening goal during their 3-2 win over Kyrgyzstan in the second round of the Asian Cup. All photos by Pawan Singh / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6DKI6OLCJO2U5U3O6AGSGKHDXQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9395ec72360485aa440a03c9603166fc290360c581c5f85276f4a38d611799a8&width=400&height=225)
![Kyrgyzstan fans cheer during the match at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VC5ASQRT4GQ5X7MTYQ7J2K644Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=a4dce7583aa7492cc426327ff5fa55ecef529475b1bfbbec46e8d9dfed44e5a7&width=400&height=225)
![Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi, left, in action.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/M6I5AHOS44N3IUDBPDMJZIA7M4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ce6110bba05a2ae2e18429ea1962a378c20cbae849a461730d62868ba3eb7541&width=400&height=225)
![Khamis Esmaeel Zayed in action.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G4BZX7ZTBNAAVXFGIQBPCPERJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=38ac1cb5837934dd539eee1531a79a8c871bd55388e1a61951f1b7c94b1f0343&width=400&height=225)
![Ismail Ahmed Mohamed, left, pursued by Kyrgyzstan's Vitalij Lux.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ISWC766RZVBYI3HLD5HDMQSE2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=35aae6682934e398e7ad40d24e37d243a38b462219da4c54fc58236f8c24f6b4&width=400&height=225)
![Khamis Esmaeel Zayed and Sagynbaev Bekzhan in action.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/D6BCPRPAYIWYFJI3VFKRFQQIDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ac4039d2b14ec8065102f7d2bc6d5d91a8470a4a44a3c0a5c985d3a876eaa18&width=400&height=225)
![Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi, centre, is halted by two Kyrgyzstan defenders.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/36N25ONXJZ6AWK2IKLMGAS3YDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=30238fb2b896dfe18576902be860bcb7be27730f8e7467ec3ff9cb7dee550e05&width=400&height=225)
![Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi, right, of UAE, runs with the ball.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JR6EAJWNPXZOSXGJQEVEHO2VZI.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ffdd1f8c95bcfade123639527d3a439d0659115cee2ef96eb798a86090d3f9d&width=400&height=225)
![UAE's Khalfan Mubarak Al Shamsi, centre, tracks a Kyrgyzstan attack.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VYQO7HXGBOVA7D7HEEBCZD7GTM.jpg?smart=true&auth=41fb5f99129c82dfdd11e77efff6ee83e3ecc290a0989aa52fba779e3dba1e31&width=400&height=225)
![Bandar Mohamed Al Ahbabi takes a shot.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NTPE43PXLMUESHL3OVVTKUHDQA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6b224b95fdc41b7914f73bb887e13233735399f132f594a33afb2beee8d277a9&width=400&height=225)
![UAE manager Alberto Zaccheroni.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TG7JUTPZACLQVLZ5ONPY3V35X4.jpg?smart=true&auth=345fdfcb36a51b94deca387a5f1f66df1400f17c773a6a607e84e3ad52c38140&width=400&height=225)
![UAE manager Alberto Zaccheroni.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VEGDB5YV4HGF3O7E623DHDT5S4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3694e0bb0579da6754bfd930e8a788fb47cb4553c14fca1626a3997edb982565&width=400&height=225)
![Khamis Esmaeel, centre, blocks the ball.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O566FKOHVMS57TPEPQNFNHXTN4.jpg?smart=true&auth=d2cdb8ec07a695b5a5b21bc05577a95251df8b922cfb21079c0267879b186f0c&width=400&height=225)
![Sagynbaev Bekzhan, right, of Kyrgyzstan runs with the ball.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XQR2K3PB756C3DJBHG7T43SLUU.jpg?smart=true&auth=363dc6899635cd6d0a5f3d0c5b1ec69df4f1a3043ac9b961b2d01e554e05793e&width=400&height=225)
![UAE fans before the start of the match,](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O53Y5J6ECJJ4RQFAGK7YRAGPE4.jpg?smart=true&auth=1ec7d56e95230073eceaeceffe0d4865811e1f626904295421d18635c3235dd9&width=400&height=225)
Alberto Zaccheroni praises UAE's 'strong personality' in reaching Asian Cup quarter-finals
Host nation give scare by Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City before going through 3-2 to set up showdown with defending champions Australia in Al Ain on Friday night
![John McAuley](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F42fdb821-a1ba-456f-980a-444e78c14d20.png?smart=true&auth=e06a33d0c3a9b91f69d2f6f0423c3e38ec6692b751de87539e969acaa5c3893f&width=70&height=70)
John McAuley
January 22, 2019
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