Upbeat Qatar eager to take on UAE in the quarter-final tonight

Tribune News Network Doha A packed Al Bayt Stadium will be rooting for hosts Qatar when they meet United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the second of the quarter-f...

Tribune News NetworkDohaA packed Al Bayt Stadium will be rooting for hosts Qatar when they meet United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the second of the quarter-finals of the first FIFA Arab Cup on Friday night.Having cruised through their three Group A matches, the maroon brigade has exuded confidence, even though that they had to fall back on the services of their stars who were summoned as super subs to take the side past Iraq in their final group stage clash.Qatar, the 2019 Asian champions this time meet a wounded UAE, who haven’t had a very convincing qualification to the last eight but would be keen to avenge their previous losses. The last time these two sides met in 2019, Qatar thrashed the UAE 4-0 on their home soil en route to winning their maiden Asian Cup.Qatar captain Hassan Al Haydos, who led the side to continental victory two years ago too, has already said that UAE are a different team to the one they faced in Abu Dhabi in 2019. Haydos expects the UAE to pose a tough challenge this time.Given the scenario, a thriller is on the cards. Qatar’s coach Felix Sanchez appeared calm and relaxed as he spoke of his team and the expected clash. “Tommorow’s (Friday) match against the UAE will be difficult for both the sides. Our goal is to win and qualify for the next round. Our team is improving with each game and we have a strong group of players who are capable of achieving the best,” he said.Guided by Sanchez, Qatar, who preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2022 on home soil, have had a busy year and will be determined to end the season by winning the FIFA Arab Cup.But the Spanish coach spelt out the challenges. “We were in a very difficult group, it was very equal and to get three positive results means a lot to us. We are playing teams from the region and these games are always difficult. We are satisfied with the results, and the way we have played I think we managed many things well but there are some things that we need to improve. I hope in the upcoming game we are going perform even better and iron out the flaws.“At this stage of the competition we need to be at our maximum best to compete and try to qualify,” he stressed.Qatar will have a big advantage playing on home turf and with a force of home fans backing them. Sanchez called on the fans to be present in large numbers and to provide more motivation. “The fans’ support is important and means a lot to us. While we need for the home support but at the same time we will need to work hard on the field. The fans will provide us all the encouragement and it is very important. We hope they will continue to support the team like in the earlier matches,” he said. Qatar player Homan El Amin underlined the team’s determination to excel. “We respect the opponents and we will go into the game with determintaion to win and qualify for the semi-finals. The fans motivate us un every match, and we hope everyone will be at the stadium to support us tommorow,” he said.In contrast, the UAE, who suffered a defeat to Tunisia in their group stage are also feeling the absence of their top-scorer Ali Mabkhout. His appearance in the quarter-final is also doubtful.UAE’s coach Bert van Marwijk may reinstate Khalil Ibrahim in the midfield for more control and power.“I am looking forward to this game. I hope it will be a full stadium with fans supporting their home side. It will be a great experience for my team,” the Dutchman said on the eve of the battle against Qatar. “Qatar have a very long preparation and they have played all over the world. Most of my players haven’t played a tournament like this one. It will be a very difficult match and I like to play difficult games. I hope my players will find a solution,” he said. The 69-year-old added he didn’t plan special preparation for his side. “We give our best in preparations before all our matches, which we try to win,” said Van Marwijk. UAE player Abdullah Ramadan hoped the team will pull off an upset against the Asian champions. “It is a big match. We evaluated the opponents very well and hopefully we will be able to win the match tomorrow,” he said.For the record, the Gulf neighbours have met 29 times in history, with Qatar winning 13 times. The UAE have beaten them 10 times, including a 4-1 rout in the 2015 AFC Cup. Their last two encounters, however, have gone Qatar’s way, with Qatar scoring four times on each occasion.