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28 March 2024

UAE to face Saudi in beach soccer WC qualifier

UAE beach soccer national team. (SUPPLIED)

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By Staff

The UAE Beach Soccer national team warmed up for the Asian qualifiers with a big win against Iraq in a friendly at Al Gharrafa Stadium in Qatar on Friday.

UAE face Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the tournament in Doha from January 22 to 26 which is a qualifier for the Beach Soccer World Cup Finals to be held in Tahiti this year.

The Emirati team have been drawn with Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Palestine in group 3.

The other teams in the competition are Qatar, Oman, Australia and Afghanistan (group 1), Japan, Bahrain, Lebanon and Thailand (group 2) and Iran, China, Iraq and Philippines (group 4).

The group winners qualify to semifinals out of which the first three teams will make it to the World Cup Finals.
 
UAE national team’s matches in the competition are: vs Saudi Arabia January 22, vs Palestine January 23,  vs Uzbekistan January 24.
 
The UAE Beach Soccer National Team coach Marcello Mandez is satisfied with his team’s preparation to contest the Asian competition.

In the match against Iraq, UAE scored three early goals in the first half through Adel Ali, Hassan Ali and Ali Karim.

UAE scored twice in second half through Walid Mohammed and Hassan Ali.

Walid Mohammed added other two goals to make a hat-trick, while Adel Ali scored the 8th goal for UAE.
 
“The great victory over Iraqi Team may provide our players with confidence before the competition’s launch. I am pleased with the players’ commitment to apply tactics and strategies,” added Mendes. 
 
The UAE Beach Soccer national team held an internal camp in Dubai, including two friendly matches against Hungary in which UAE lost first match 3-4 and won the second game 5-3.
 
The UAE squad: Obaid Thani, Qambar Mohammed, Mahmoud Abbas, Saaed Yousuf, Abbas Ali, Kamal Ali, Hassan Ali, Rami Al Masabi, Ali Karim, Walid Mohammed, Adel Ali and Humaid Jamal.