The first win against Japan gives us a good confidence boost.
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With Japan expected to pick up a win, considering they have the much stronger side on paper and were playing at home, UAE overcame the concession of an earl goal to come away with a 2-1 victory, thanks to a double from their skipper Ahmed Khalil.
“We’ll see how we get on today (Monday), I’ve got a full day ahead of me, so we’ll see how I go”.
Postecoglou was quoted as saying: ‘I think they’d be a bit fearful of us and have every right to be. We know what we need from Tuesday’s match. “I expect them to sit back”, he said. “We prepared for Iraq, the same way we will for UAE and then for Saudi Arabia in the next game”, he said.
The Japanese are favourites to reach Russian Federation 2018 along with Australia, but the inherently cautious Ali was unusually bullish about his side’s chances of confounding the odds.
“The first time we qualified for the World Cup was in 1990 and since that day UAE has been working very hard to qualify for the second time”.
“Our goal is to qualify for the World Cup. the team [has] resolved to fight and to not shrink from anything because we are soldiers fighting for our country”.
Ali would surely be content with a draw tomorrow against opponents who are 57 in the Federation Internationale de Football Association world rankings, 17 places above the UAE.
While Australia were comfortable in their 2-0 win over Iraq in Perth last week, UAE caused a big upset when they got the better of Japan in Saitama. “We deserve to qualify for the World Cup 2018”. They are bidding to reach their fourth straight global showpiece after making their debut in 1974.
“That’s what the boss has been striving for for the last 18 months, two years”.
This would have no bearing on Tuesday’s game, however, Ali asserted. On being told that Australia have a poor record in the Arab region, he said: “I don’t believe in history”. “I believe only in what the team is doing at this moment”. That’s happened in the past and no one’s even known about it.
Likewise, Ali dismissed suggestions that the energy-sapping heat and humidity of the UAE would count in his side’s favour.
Postecoglou said he would give Jedinak as long as possible to prove his fitness. “The weather is not an advantage”. Now the top two teams in Pool B will be vying for the top spot in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
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In turn, the Australian team, brilliantly conducted its campaign in the qualification for the World Cup (the second stage). “Other teams probably hold us in higher regard than we do ourselves”.
