Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The UAE national football team is gearing up to resurrect its joint qualification campaign for both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup when they take on Uzbekistan in a must-win Group A match at Al Wahda’s Al Nahyan Stadium on Thursday (8pm kick-off).
Two matches remain in this round of qualifying; two teams from each of the three groups go through automatically. Iran have already qualified from the first group.
Uzbekistan are in second on 17 points, needing only a point, while UAE are in third on 13 points. Cosmin Olaroiu’s men need both wins – the next one is away in Kyrgyzstan five days later – and also hope Uzbekistan lose to them and Qatar next.
While Uzbekistan will hope the pressure on the UAE will make it easy for them, the hosts can only hope the nerves get the better of the Uzbeks, who are out to make history by qualifying for the Finals – in US, Canada and Mexico – for the first time.
Both coaches are experienced but fairly new to the job. Olaroiu was parachuted in place of Paulo Bento after Match Day 8 while Timur Kapadze had to be brought in after Srecko Katanec asked to be relieved due to health conditions. Both leaders in the dugout will also be sizing each other up with envy.
Olaroiu took charge last month after fulfilling duties with Sharjah, while Kapadze came on board in February. The latter paid a visit to Abu Dhabi to check on conditions in April and has Katanec, a former UAE coach, by his side for advice.
“His condition is improving and he is assisting me,” Kapadze told the media at a pre-match news conference on Wednesday.
Kapadze must have followed Olaroiu closely over the past two months, and how he sparked a revival since taking over Sharjah in 2021, a club where the Uzbek manager had a short-lived stint of six months in 2012.
Olaroiu chose the operative word well – belief – to explain his team’s approach on Wednesday, displaying a positive mindset in training in the build-up at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Al Jazira’s home, down the road from the match venue.
“We must believe we will be there in the finals, and we will try to take each game as a final,” said Olaroiu, who included five Sharjah players in the preliminary squad. The coach has spent 10 years in the UAE with three clubs, including Shabab Al Ahli and Al Ain. “I know my [Sharjah] players very well but they are national players now just like everybody.”
Sat by his side was the Khaled Essa, the man in the last line of defence for the Whites. “We are closer to the World Cup than ever before, having come a long way. We must believe each... us, fans; everyone is in this together,” said the goalkeeper.
Essa and the defenders will need to be on guard if Kapadze chooses to field Eldor Shomurodov, the AS Roma forward, who joined the squad four days ago.
Stopping history-seeking Uzbekistan won’t be easy, with the White Wolves having suffered defeat only once in their qualifying campaign. The players, said defender Rustam Ashurmatov, are determined to realise the dreams of their nation. “We give our all in every match. We go to the field only to win. I think our team is capable of this – we will win,” said Ashurmatov to the local media, who have assembled in hordes in anticipation of witnessing a historic moment materialising in the UAE capital.
Kapadze, meanwhile, arrived late to the press conference and only got to answer a couple of questions as a result. It is up to Olaroiu and his men to put Uzbekistan’s party on hold.
