UAE Olympic football team going from strength to strength

The UAE Olympic football team have always been a winner. They started bringing home titles in 2006 when they won the GCC Junior Championship and the UAE FA decided to keep together the team to build a future national team. Mahdi Ali, a former international striker of the UAE and Al Ahli club, was appointed as head coach in 2008 only days before the start of the Asian Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia after working as an assistant coach and the Emirati coach showed the same brilliance he showed when he was a player. Ali led the team to win the Asian Youth title and went on to finish as eighth in the world and first in Asia in the finals of the 2009 World Youth Cup in Egypt before winning the GCC Under 23 title in 2010 and silver medal of the Asian Games in China, the same year. Here’s a player-by-player look at his disposal:The Al Jazira custodian, is relatively a new name in the UAE’s football grounds as he found his way to the senior team of his club this season after Ali Khaseef, the first choice keeper, was injured last season and he soon attracted the attention with his outstanding saves and alertness. Eissa was selected for both the senior and Olympic teams after only a handful of matches and he did not disappoint the coaches who put their confidence in him. Khalid played two official matches in the qualifiers against Iraq and Australia and kept a clean sheet. If he succeeded to keep the Uzbek strikers at bay today, the UAE will realise their Olympic dream irrespective of what the other 10 players do. Abdul Aziz Haidal (Right fullback) Haidal started his career with Al Shabab, like his father Hussain Haikal, but moved to their neighbours Al Ahli who offerd a deal he could not refuse. He soon became one key defender in both the club and the Olympic team. He does his defensive duties perfectly and always assists in attack. Hamdan Al Kamali (Sweeper-captain) Formerly of Al Wahda club. Al Kamali is the only UAE player who is playing professional football in Europe, with Olympique Lyonnais in France. He is excellent in aerial balls and long range shots and was upgraded to the country’s senior team. Al Kamali has scored many goals from headers and free kicks. Mohammad Ahmad (Central defender) Ahmad of Al Shabab, is a strong defender both physically and tactically with a good vision inside the penalty box. He can boast of scoring goals with headers for both his club and country. He is also experienced in distracting opponents’ concentration. Abdul Aziz Sangoor (Left fullback) Sangoor is the only player from Sharjah in the team. He is fast and good in marking strikers. Sangoor’s outbursts in the left flanks are always dangerous and help in forward line to organise moves. Amer Abdul Rahman (Midfielder) Rahman is with the team since playing in the junior level in 2006. He is the only player from the UAE who was selected with the best team in the Fifa 2009 Youth World Cup in Egypt. He was approached by many local and foreign clubs but stayed with Bani Yas. Abdul Rahman is the best UAE player in intercepting the ball from opponents while his possession is almost complete. He is also the dead ball expert of the team. Khamis Esmail (Defensive midfielder) Esmail started his playing career with Emirates club and shifted to Al Jazira last season. His performances with his club nominated him to the Olympic Team and he soon became one of the key players in the squad. Omar Abdul Rahman (Midfielder-playmaker) Rahman Al Ain club, is the entertaining player of the team. His outstanding ball control capabilities is amazing, his vision is fantastic and his penetrating passes are fatal to the opponents. He can split open any defence with a single pass or an unpredicted shot as he did against Australia when he scored the winner from a difficult angle taking everyone by surprise. He performs on the left side of the midfield. Rashid Eisa (midfielder) Eisa is the other behind-the-strikers midfielder who plays on the right flank. He is fast and can go past defenders easily which made him a favourite selection by Diego Maradona, the coach of his club Al Wasl. Rashid can sneak inside the box without being detected by the opposing defenders and once there he is lethal. Ali Mabkhoot (striker) Mabkhoot of Al Jazira compensated for the absence of Khalil and the other strikers because of injury and the dynamic striker has given the opponents constant headache in all the matches he played. He is active, fast and never gives up. Mabkhoot can score from aerial balls, moving or still situations with great ability to shake markers. Ahmad Ali (striker) Ali of Bani Yas is the winning card of the team. Fast, physically strong and excellent in going past two or three defenders. His crosses have always helped Khalil and Mabkhoot to score goals. Mahdi has also some other good substitutes on the bench who can change the result to his team’s favour including midfielders: Habib Al Fardan of Al Nasr, Mohammad Fawzi and Habbous Saleh of Bani Yas and Mohammad Abdul Rahman of Al Ain. Strikers Salem Saleh and Amer Omar, both from Al Wahda in addition to defenders Mohammad Jaber from Bani Yas, Ali Al Amiri of Al Nasr and Waleed Al Yamahi of Al Jazira, in addition to custodians Adil Al Housani of Al Wahda and Ahmad Mahmoud of Al Wasl.