Mahdi confident of UAE victory against Palestine

UAE veteran Ismail Matar has promised to delight home fans with a good show.

UAE head coach Mahdi Ali reiterated that he is confident his boys will never let him down when they lock horns against Palestine in the Group-A penultimate round of the current 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers/ 2019 AFC Asian Cup Joint Qualifiers at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Thursday. The match is set to kick off at 7pm.
Speaking to newsmen during the pre-match briefing, Ali said it is a must-win match because they have no other option than score full points to stay afloat in the competition. The coach said they may miss the services of their key striker Ali Mabkhout. "We may miss the efforts of our injured striker Ali Mabkhout. The doctor and his staff are working with him and we will find out the exact position by tomorrow morning, but I tell you, there is no big chance of having him onboard. Mabkhout may not start the match," he confirmed.
Regarding the case of the team's playmaker Amoory, Ali said he has suffered a minor injury and is likely to be rested for this match. When asked for the reason that made him call Al Wahda veteran Ismail Matar, Ali replied that the form of the player is the only condition which weighs the eligibility of players to join the national squad. "But, above all, I would like to urge our faithful fans to show up at the match venue because the players need them," he said.
Ismail Matar promised to delight the fans and show the true image of the country's football.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia on the other hand are currently in pole position and can wrap up top spot on Thursday with just a draw against Malaysia, who have already conceded 16 goals in their two previous trips to the West against the UAE and Palestine. On the same day, UAE can also seal a top-two berth against Palestine, who are only four points behind their opponents but come into the match on the back of a four-match unbeaten streak in qualification.
Victory for the UAE would also move them into the top four in the rankings of the runner-up teams, but failure to do so would leave them in a tricky situation as they finish their campaign against the Saudis on March 29, while Palestine have what appears to be a far more straightforward tie against bottom side Timor-Leste.
Barring a shock victory over Saudi Arabia, Malaysia look set to have to settle for a place in the qualifying playoffs even if they finish above Timor-Leste, as they are currently bottom in the ranking of fourth-placed.