(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Emiratis end Vietnams unbeaten run to keep medal hopes alive in Asian Games football Vu Minh Tuan of Vietnam chases UAE’S Hassan Abdullah Waled Hussain during the match on Friday. — AFP
Dubai — Ten-man UAE asserted their supremacy over Vietnam with a well-deserved 3-1 victory to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the 17th Asian Games football at the Hwaseong Sports Complex Stadium in Incheon South Korea on Friday.
Goals from Saeed Al Katheri Saeed Khalfan and Bandar Al Ahbabi handed fancied Vietnam their first defeat in the Incheon Games. The latest comfortable victory against one of the strongest teams in the tournament also brightened up UAE’s chances of improving on the 2010 Guangzhou silver medal performance.
Now the UAE will take on North Korea in the quarterfinals on Sunday while the Saudis face Iraq.
“We simply neutralised Vietnam’s strength by not allowing them to use their speed” said UAE coach Ali Ebrahim. Knowing that his players are more skilled and have plenty of talent over their less experienced South East Asian opponents Ebrahim based his strategy on narrowing the spaces to close all the routes to their keeper Ahmed Shabiah with a strict zonal defense. And the players executed the coach’s instructions to the tee.
Vietnam were favourites to beat UAE after their dream run in the league phase but UAE proved to be a tougher opponent. Unbeaten in all their matches since their Japanese-born coach Toshiya Miura took over last May the Vietnamese dreams to maintain a winning streak was finally broken. Saeed Al Katheri put UAE ahead in the 21st minute from a fast-counterattack with a strong left-footed shot. But the same player squandered an easy chance a few minutes later as the UAE led 1-0 at halftime. The Vietnamese tried to use their famed speed after the break but with Khalfan Mubarak Ghanim bottling up the rivals UAE defence remained cool as a cucumber. And with the helpful assistance of the defending mid fielders the UAE successfully absorbed the early pressure before retaliating to go 2-0 ahead on the hour mark. Saif Khalfan who was perfectly poised inside the Vietnamese box tapped home a perfect cross from Suhail Al Mansouri for the second UAE goal.
However two minutes later UAE were reduced to ten players when Mohammed Suroor was questionably red-carded. Vietnam’s efforts to make the best of the obvious advantage paid off in the 86th minute. Vietnam cut the deficit to 1-2 with a shot of mid fielder Nguyen Huy Hung. After two unsuccessful attempts by substitute Mohammed Khouri to strike Bandar Al Ahbabi made it 3-1 in the injury time
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