UAE striker Ali Mabkhout is on the cover of The National's sport section for Wednesday, August 31, ahead of the team's World Cup qualifying match against Japan on Thursday.
Reporter John McAuley is in Tokyo for the crucial contest, which will kick off the third and, for most practical purposes, final round of Asian qualifying.
He profiles the Al Jazira target man, who was Golden Boot winner at the last Gulf Cup, the last Asian Cup, and second in the Arabian Gulf League last season. The Emirati was something of a late bloomer but has come on fast the past couple years. Writes McAuley:
“In recent years, he has stockpiled the plaudits and the prizes, both for club and for country.” Five goals at the 2014 Gulf Cup to finish the tournament’s top scorer, five again at the 2015 Asian Cup to head the charts, five goals thus far during the protracted qualification for the 2018 World Cup. A trio of fives for the UAE’s five-star striker.
“Little wonder he is now considered as important to the national team as Omar Abdulrahman and Ahmed Khalil, arguably more so than the latter.”
Read the whole story here. And check out John's diary from Tokyo ahead of the big match: Typhoon passed, Tokyo now bracing for soccer storm.
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