After the opening match of the Asian playoff between Qatar and Oman ended in a 0-0 draw, the calculations began for the UAE national team, which will start its journey in the competition on Saturday against Oman in a match where “Al-Abyad” enters with clear objectives: “win, then win.”

Matar Al-Sahbani, the supervisor of “Al-Abyad,” was clear when he said the goal is to win both matches and not wait for any other calculations.

Al-Sahbani reveals that the atmosphere inside the UAE national team’s camp is more than wonderful, and the players’ enthusiasm to achieve the dream of qualifying for the World Cup is no less than that of the fans and the Football Association. He confirmed that during the Dubai camp, everyone exerted their utmost efforts to enter the main squad. He spoke about a strong feeling in the camp that the atmosphere is ideal, both technically and administratively, to achieve the UAE’s dream.

“Al-Abyad” will play its first match against the Omani team at 9:15 PM UAE time, a match that will see a large Emirati crowd in the stands of Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, which hosts the playoff matches for the Doha group.

Our national team must play with the motto “no loss first,” because tasting the bitterness of defeat in the first round will officially deprive “Al-Abyad” of the chance to qualify directly from Doha to the World Cup, and may force them to seek their seat through the global playoff path full of obstacles.

Our team aims to kill two birds with one stone, as winning against Oman will put “Al-Abyad” at the top of the group standings, and will put more pressure on the host Qatari team in the Tuesday match, forcing them to play offensively to seek victory, while our team will play with the chances of winning or drawing to qualify officially from Doha.

Win, Then Win

The coaching staff of our national team realizes that playing for the three points will be the greatest motivation for our team to enter the final match with the hosts with less pressure, especially given the short time between the Oman match on Saturday and the Qatar match on Tuesday.

Our team must exploit the physical downside of the Omani team, which played a high-level match against the hosts, showing good distinction and defensive toughness with an organization reflecting the vision and fingerprint of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz.

Coach Cosmin hopes to succeed on Saturday in achieving his first official international victory with the team and putting the first step in the World Cup finals, although he will be very cautious of the effectiveness of the “Red Warriors” after witnessing the team’s level and style of play against the host team.

Press Conference

The coach will not reveal the lineup he will bet on during the Friday press conference, but calculations and numbers will be present, although “The Caesar” will emphasize the necessity of playing to win and nothing else.

Our players will hold their last training session on Friday before the Oman match on Saturday, where the coach will put his final touch on the lineup that will play the match, confirming the rehearsal of the style that will be adopted against the Omanis, which may help achieve victory.

Defensive Responsibilities

Based on the outcome of the first match between Oman and Qatar, our team will have to play a defensive approach to avoid losing first.

Our players must also be cautious of the opponent’s playing style and quick counterattacks, especially since the offensive approach will be the bet of Portuguese coach Queiroz, who will face “Al-Abyad,” whom he coached more than a quarter of a century ago.

Midfielders will have to carry the responsibility of maintaining the team’s line cohesion, which the coaching staff will focus on to prevent the opponent from having opportunities to determine the course of the match.

Coach Cosmin will monitor the readiness of Luan and Meloni, who returned to participate in recent training sessions, while a big bet will be on Jimenez’s abilities to tactically lead the match on the field, with the role of the double pivot (Abdullah Ramadan – Yahya Nader or Meloni) remaining significant to control the rhythm and ensure superiority and dominance, enhancing the attackers’ ability to reach the goal of veteran goalkeeper Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini.

Third Playoff

The participation in the Asian playoff for the 2026 World Cup will be the third in Al-Abyad’s historical journey in World Cup qualifiers.

Fans hope the third time will be successful, after the playoff was unlucky in the previous two participations, losing the 2002 World Cup experience against Iran, while Australia prevailed over our team in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, when our team lost 2-1 to the Kangaroos in Doha before Australia qualified by defeating Peru.

Queiroz Proud of Oman’s Performance

Carlos Queiroz, coach of Oman, expressed his pride in his team’s performance and their ability to contain the Qatari team. The Portuguese coach said: “We performed well and succeeded in stopping the Qatari attacks, and we expected the Qatari team to push hard to win.”

He explained: “I believe the draw is the best result for both sides, as a loss would have greatly weakened any team’s chances.” He added: “We don’t have much time before facing the UAE team, and we will strive to prepare well to achieve our dream of qualifying for the World Cup.”

Lopetegui: We Faced a Stubborn Team

Qatar national team coach Julen Lopetegui considered that “Al-Annabi” faced a stubborn team, saying: “We performed well throughout the match, but we faced a stubborn team that skillfully closed the defensive spaces. Despite that, we created many chances but did not make good use of them, yet I am happy because we kept fighting until the end.”

He added: “We will continue to pursue our dream of qualifying for the World Cup. The draw result will not negatively affect us, nor will it add extra pressure on the players before the next match.”