TOKYO // The <a href="http://www.thenational.ae/sport/uae-football ">UAE</a> will use last year's Asian Cup victory against Japan as inspiration for their 2018 World Cup qualifier on Thursday, according to standout midfielder Omar Abdulrahman. Mahdi Ali’s men, who arrived in Tokyo late on Tuesday, begin the third and final qualification stage for Russia with a daunting assignment against the Asian powerhouse at the Saitama Stadium 2002. Japan, five-time participants at the World Cup, go into the Group B opener as heavy favourites. Vahid Halilhodzic’s side are currently ranked 49th in the world by Fifa and therefore sit 25 spots above the UAE, while 13 of their present squad play in Europe. In contrast, the UAE squad is entirely Emirates-based, as they bid to make the country’s second appearance at a World Cup. <strong>More UAE v Japan</strong> <strong>• Ali Mabkhout:</strong> <a href="http://www.thenational.ae/sport/world-cup-2018/ali-mabkhout-the-rise-of-the-uaes-five-star-striker-set-for-the-biggest-test-of-his-flourishing-career">The rise of the UAE's five-star striker set for the biggest test of his flourishing career</a> <strong>• John McAuley's Tokyo Diary:</strong> <a href="http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/uae-v-japan-diary-typhoon-passed-tokyo-now-bracing-for-soccer-storm">Typhoon passed, now comes a soccer storm</a> However, confidence can be drawn from the most recent meeting between the two, when the UAE prevailed in a penalty shootout at the Asian Cup quarter-final stage in January last year. That victory, after the match had finished 1-1 in normal time, has given the Emiratis belief that they can depart Japan later this week with a positive result. “We respect the Japanese team completely,” said Omar Abdulrahman, scorer of an infamous “Panenka” penalty in the shootout in Australia 20 months ago. “We came here to show a good level, and take a positive return, and already have defeated the Japanese national team at the Asian Cup. Now we will try to repeat it, and we hope to achieve this goal.” Japan represent difficult opponents, though. The four-time Asian champions may have begun the second phase of qualification with a surprise 0-0 draw against Singapore, but they rebounded to win their next seven matches and top the group. The seven successive victories came with an aggregate score of 27-0. Japan now face the UAE, whose World Cup experience extends only to the 1990 finals, before taking on Thailand next week. The UAE, meanwhile, host Australia in Abu Dhabi on September 6, with matches against Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Iraq to come before the five sides play one another again. The top two teams in Group B book an automatic spot in Russia, while the third-placed side play the third-placed team from Group A to progress to an inter-continental play-off. The UAE, though, are not thinking that far in advance and insist they remain fully focused on Japan. Asked about the prospect of playing the Japanese at a sell-out Saitama Stadium 2002, Abdulrahman said: “We respect all opponents. The game will not be easy, and we all must be aware of that, which we are, but whenever the challenge is difficult, it is a good omen that we will perform.” The UAE are close to full strength for the Japan encounter, with only goalkeeper Majed Naser and midfielder Majed Hassan missing through injury. Ali Kasheif, the Al Jazira goalkeeper, is currently favourite to replace Naser, although he faces stiff competition from Khalid Essa, his opposite number at Al Ain. jmcauley@thenational.ae <strong>Follow us on Twitter </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/NatSportUAE">@NatSportUAE</a> <strong>Like us on Facebook at </strong><a href="http://facebook.com/TheNationalSport">facebook.com/TheNationalSport</a>
