Matar in UAE team for AFC Asian Cup
dubai — Veteran UAE striker Ismail Matar has passed fitness test and coach Alberto Zaccheroni has included the Al Wahda star in the final 23 named for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, starting on January 5 in the UAE.
Al Wahda star Matar had suffered a cheekbone hairline fracture during the Arabian Gulf League match against table toppers Sharjah on December 3 but recovered in time to be included in the team.
UAE’s Italian coach Zaccheroni, who already has the Asian Cup title under his belt after winning the 2011 edition for Japan, hasn’t sprung any surprises in finalising the squad that will badly miss the talismanic and Asia’s best playmaker Omar Abdulrahman, who was ruled out earlier after suffering a season ending knee injury while playing for his Saudi club Al Hilal in October
In his absence, a lot will depend on 2015 AFC Player of the Year Ahmed Khalil and Ali Makbhout to deliver in frontline as the Whites open their campaign on January 5 against Bahrain in Group A. They play India five days later and Thailand on January 14 in the other Group matches.
After their dream run in the Fifa Club World Cup, Al Ain find seven of their players picked by Zaccheroni in the squad of 23. The other team from Capital, Al Jazira has five players assisting the national team.
This time the UAE would look to improve on their runners up finish in the 1995 edition of the tournament, which they hosted.
The Whites has won four and lost five matches while drawing seven in 16 they have played since Zaccheroni took over the reigns of the team in 2017.
As expected Ainawi Khalid Essa gets the mod to guard the UAE goal after his superlative performance in the Fifa Club World Cup last week. His team mate Ismail Ahmed has found favours as Shabab Al Ahli centre half Mohammed Marzooq has been left out.