(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The UAE beat Iraq thanks to goals from striker Ahmed Khalil and veteran Ismail Matarduring the Fifa 2018 World Cup qualifiers Group B match at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Tuesday.
The fifth-round win will delight the nation and in equal measure the under-fire coach Mahdi Ali.
The match, right from the start and till it lasted, was an act of desperation. Two teams with strikers eager to earn three points and the defence equally resolute to deny any gifts.
There were chances and half-chances but no goals to show for the toil in the first 20 minutes. It was an athletic Khalil, who abashed Iraqi defence with a powerful shot in the 26th minute. It was a rebound from Iraq's Mohanad Abdulraheem that dropped in front of Khalil, who marked his spot to perfection and keeper Mohammed Hameed just got enough time to see the rocket pass by.
Goal-up, there was spring in the step and more positivity in the UAE play. Omar Abdulrahman & bro Mohamed combined well but for striker Ali Mabkhout, who was tightly marked and couldn't flourish. Abu Dhabi stadium, though, was beaming.
Iraq, however, didn't sit mum. In the 33rd minute, there was a rampaging run from Justin Azeez that drew the entire defence out but the Iraqi striker's pass missed his strikers. In the next minute, forward Mohanad Abdulraheem directed in to the goal Ahmed Yaseen's pass but it managed to just kiss the back of the nets. Yaseen- Abdulraheem duo gave Ali Khaseif and defence few nervous moments.
Iraqis were getting physical and Mohamed Abdulrahman was involved in an incident that saw the UAE midfielder go out. In came the road train Ismail Al Hammadi, who added much-needed tempo to the play.
As the night grew, so did the number of fans and the 'Whites' confident show also began to shine.
With 15 minutes to go, coach Ali replaced Khalil with Ismail Matar. The veteran with captain's armband rushing into the field was a delightful sight.
But what followed was a spell of some nervous spell. Keeper Khaseif had to parry at least two goal-bound shots and a corner to defend - all in space of three minutes. But the UAE prevailed the late charge for an equaliser. The backline - Walid Abbas, Mohanad Salem, Ismail Ahmed and Abdelaziz Sanqour - withstood the Baghdad barrage and had loads of luck too. Iraqi strikers missed an array of chances.And just when the test of nerves were becoming unbearable, the veteran man from Al Wahda scored through a bak pass from Al Jazira man Mabkhout. Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium erupted like it has never done before. Coach Ali was ecstatic and so was the UAE.
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