The UAE will ramp up preparations for next week’s crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier against Iraq when they host Bahrain in a friendly in Al Ain.
Mahdi Ali’s side, who sit fourth in Group B after four matches, take on their Gulf neighbours at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium – the first time the national team will be playing at the venue.
Given the importance of the Iraq encounter, Mahdi Ali has requested the game be played behind closed doors.
The UAE are seeking to bounce back from last month’s hugely disappointing defeat to Saudi Arabia in qualifying, when they lost 3-0 at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sport City to lose significant ground in the race for a place at Russia 2018.
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The Iraq fixture is therefore deemed a must-win for the UAE, with Wednesday’s test against Bahrain an opportunity to hone fitness and tactics before Tuesday’s game.
The UAE have several injury concerns, though, chief among those Al Ain midfielder Amer Abdulrahman and club teammate Ismail Ahmed. Abdulrahman has been ruled out, while defender Ahmed has not trained extensively with the national team this week.
First-choice right-back Mohammed Ahmed is already out having undergone surgery on an ankle injury sustained in the 1-0 home defeat to Australia in September. His Al Ain teammate, Khalid Essa, is also missing as the goalkeeper attempts to recover from a hamstring injury in time for the first leg of the Asian Champions League final against South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on November 19.
Mahdi Ali this week added Al Jazira’s Khalfan Mubarak along with Al Nasr’s Salem Saleh, who was called up to the UAE squad on Friday.
Playmaker Mubarak is the most notable late inclusion, with the creative midfielder excelling for Al Jazira thus far this season.
In six Arabian Gulf League appearances, he has scored once and registered two assists to help his club to second in the standings. He replaces Mohammed Al Akbari, Al Wahda’s injured forward, in the squad.
Veteran striker Ismail Matar provides much-needed experience to the 23-strong group, who have been training this past week at Al Ain’s Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium.
Bahrain, ranked 53 places in the world below the UAE at 123rd, have been training at the nearby Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium.
Once this friendly is complete, the UAE’s focus will shift to the game against fifth-placed Iraq in the World Cup qualifiers.
Only the top two teams in Group B book a spot in Russia, while third place must then enter a series of play-offs to make the global finals.
The UAE, who sit two points off second, have only once before participated in the World Cup, in 1990.
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