UAE National Football Team Prepares for Crucial World Cup Qualifiers in Dubai
The UAE national team gathers in Dubai ahead of matches against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, with new coach Olaroiu Cozmin at the helm.
The UAE national football team commenced a training camp in Dubai on Tuesday as it prepares for two critical matches in the Asian World Cup qualifying campaign.
The team is set to host Uzbekistan on June 5 and will subsequently travel to Kyrgyzstan for their final qualifying match on June 10.
Leading the team in this training camp is Romanian coach Olaroiu Cozmin, who is making his official debut after taking over the coaching responsibilities from the previous Portuguese coach, Paulo Bento, in April 2023. Cozmin previously concluded his tenure with Shabab Al-Ahli Club before assuming the national team's head coach position.
Cozmin has selected 27 players to compete in the last two matches of the Asian qualifiers.
Among the noteworthy inclusions is defender Sasha Ivkovic from Al Wahda, marking his first appearance with the national team.
Additionally, several players are making a return to the squad, including Abdulrahman Saleh, Badr Nasser, Abdullah Hamad, Mohammed Abdabaset, Ali Saleh, Majed Hassan, and Junior Niday.
Conversely, several players have been excluded from the roster, including Khaled Tohid, Mohammed Al Atas, Zayed Sultan, Abdullah Idris, Mackenzie Hunt, Essam Fayez, and Jonatas Santos, who featured in the previous selection.
The current squad includes goalkeepers Ali Khaseef, Khaled Issa, and Hamad Al-Maqbali, along with defenders Lucas Paqueta, Kwame, Khalifa Al-Hamadi, Alaa Zahir, Sasha Ivkovic, Khalid Al-Dhanhani, Markus Meloni, and midfielders Abdulrahman Saleh, Badr Nasser, Yahya Nader, Abdullah Ramadan, Yahya Al-Ghasani, and Harib Abdullah.
The attacking lineup features players such as Mohammed Abdabaset, Majed Hassan, Luan Pereira, Fabio de Lima, Kaio Kanido, Junior Niday, Sultan Adel, Kaio Lucas, and Bruno Oliveira.
The UAE team is currently positioned third in Group A of the qualifying standings with 13 points and is vying for a direct qualification berth for the World Cup.
In order to secure direct qualification, the UAE must win both matches against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan while also depending on Uzbekistan's defeat against Qatar in the final round.
The top position in Group A has already been secured by Iran, which has amassed 20 points and qualified directly for the World Cup.
Uzbekistan occupies the second spot with 17 points, while the UAE is third, followed by Kyrgyzstan in fifth with 6 points, and North Korea at the bottom with only 2 points, having been eliminated from World Cup contention.
The team is set to host Uzbekistan on June 5 and will subsequently travel to Kyrgyzstan for their final qualifying match on June 10.
Leading the team in this training camp is Romanian coach Olaroiu Cozmin, who is making his official debut after taking over the coaching responsibilities from the previous Portuguese coach, Paulo Bento, in April 2023. Cozmin previously concluded his tenure with Shabab Al-Ahli Club before assuming the national team's head coach position.
Cozmin has selected 27 players to compete in the last two matches of the Asian qualifiers.
Among the noteworthy inclusions is defender Sasha Ivkovic from Al Wahda, marking his first appearance with the national team.
Additionally, several players are making a return to the squad, including Abdulrahman Saleh, Badr Nasser, Abdullah Hamad, Mohammed Abdabaset, Ali Saleh, Majed Hassan, and Junior Niday.
Conversely, several players have been excluded from the roster, including Khaled Tohid, Mohammed Al Atas, Zayed Sultan, Abdullah Idris, Mackenzie Hunt, Essam Fayez, and Jonatas Santos, who featured in the previous selection.
The current squad includes goalkeepers Ali Khaseef, Khaled Issa, and Hamad Al-Maqbali, along with defenders Lucas Paqueta, Kwame, Khalifa Al-Hamadi, Alaa Zahir, Sasha Ivkovic, Khalid Al-Dhanhani, Markus Meloni, and midfielders Abdulrahman Saleh, Badr Nasser, Yahya Nader, Abdullah Ramadan, Yahya Al-Ghasani, and Harib Abdullah.
The attacking lineup features players such as Mohammed Abdabaset, Majed Hassan, Luan Pereira, Fabio de Lima, Kaio Kanido, Junior Niday, Sultan Adel, Kaio Lucas, and Bruno Oliveira.
The UAE team is currently positioned third in Group A of the qualifying standings with 13 points and is vying for a direct qualification berth for the World Cup.
In order to secure direct qualification, the UAE must win both matches against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan while also depending on Uzbekistan's defeat against Qatar in the final round.
The top position in Group A has already been secured by Iran, which has amassed 20 points and qualified directly for the World Cup.
Uzbekistan occupies the second spot with 17 points, while the UAE is third, followed by Kyrgyzstan in fifth with 6 points, and North Korea at the bottom with only 2 points, having been eliminated from World Cup contention.
Translation:
Translated by AI
