Matar Al Dhaheri, the supervisor of the Emirati national team, praised the performance of the “Al-Abyad” players and their overcoming the obstacle of the Omani national team, ruling out that the large crowd attendance expected in the final match would affect the Emirati national team players.
Al Dhaheri said to media representatives after the match: “I congratulate the players on their victory and reaching the final match despite great stress. The Omani team was a strong match for us, and we wish them the best of luck after losing the match, and we will work to prepare for the final match better.”
Regarding the final against the Saudi team, Al Dhaheri said: “I believe that the two best teams reached the final, and the balance is equal between the two parties. “I hope, of course, that my team will win the championship, and certainly the Saudi team is looking forward to the same thing, but whoever prepares better and maintains his focus in the match is the one who will achieve the title.”
He added: “We finished the semi-final match, and we have to be very humble and start preparing for the final match.”
Regarding following up and studying the Saudi team before the final, he said: “The coach is responsible for following the match and determining the levels of the Saudi team players. We watched the Saudi team in its four matches, and I think the coach has a clear idea about it.”
Al Dhaheri ruled out that the expected Saudi public presence would put pressure on UAE players, and said: “This is football, and I do not think the fans will affect us.” We have previously played in Saudi stadiums, and the Saudi fans are always present and supportive of their team, and certainly the Saudi team’s arrival in the final will constitute an additional incentive for them to attend.”
He continued: “I do not think that this will affect us, and we hope that the two teams will present an enjoyable match in front of the expected large crowd.”
Regarding the UAE national team players’ abstention from making statements to the media, Al Dhaheri revealed that the decision came under his direction, saying: “This is a decision from me personally, and there are no other reasons, but I want to remove the pressure from the players.”
Al Dhaheri sent a message to the Emirati fans who supported the team in the semi-final, saying: “I congratulate them on reaching the final match, and I hope that their presence in the final will be greater than today’s match, and we expect the Emirati fans to march en masse behind the team.”
Regarding the facilities expected to transport Emirati fans to Saudi Arabia, he said: “I cannot specify a specific number for attendance, but the distance is not far, even for those who wish to attend by car. The Federation will work to facilitate the attendance of fans, and there will certainly be arrangements to transport fans from the Emirates, because it is important to provide them with amenities. We hope that the crowds will flock behind Al-Abyad in the final match.”
Ahmed Al Rawahi, the Omani national team player, confirmed that the small details decided the confrontation and tipped the balance in the opponent’s favor, stressing that the “Red” players gave everything they had and created a number of chances that did not translate into goals.
Al-Rawahi said, in an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat: “Praise be to God in any case. This is football, and God willing, the next will be better.”
Regarding the lack of reaction from the Omani team after qualifying at the expense of Iraq, he said: “On the contrary, the opportunities we created and wasted, especially during the first and second halves, confirm that the team was able to return to the match.”
He added: “We did what we had to in this match, and we reached the goal and created chances, but we were not able to score. We say thank God for everything, because this is football, and small details always make the difference in matches.”
Al-Rawahi continued: “The players did not fall short and performed at a great level, and, God willing, we promise our fans that we will make them happy in the upcoming tournaments.”
Regarding his expectations for the identity of the “Gulf 27” champion, especially after the Omani team faced the two sides of the final match, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, Al-Rawahi said: “To the winner, we say congratulations, and to the loser, we wish him better luck.” “The two teams have performed at great levels since the beginning of the tournament, and they deserve to reach the final match.”
