TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019 We’re confident and have prepared well. We wanted to be exactly where we are ASIAN CUP 2019 and we’re looking forward to doing even better: Captain Hassan al Haydos QATAR VS UAE (5 PM) Sanchez sure of Al Annabi thriving on semi pressure AFC “I think that one of the key test in front of a full house at ABU DHABI reasons for us reaching this All of us know there Abu Dhabi’s Mohammed Bin stage of the competition is that is added pressure Zayed Stadium. HEAD coach Felix Sanchez the players have been aware of “As I have said previously has declared that his im- the pressure. In any competi- because it is the semi-final, it is normal to be missing play- pressive Qatar side are not tion you have pressure as you but I think we are confident ers at this stage of a competi- feeling the pressure as they need to get the right results. rather than under pressure. tion,” he said. “The key point prepare to meet host nation “The team, I believe, has for us is that everyone is ready the United Arab Emirates coped very well with the situ- Felix Sanchez and waiting to play and to in the AFC Asian Cup UAE ation so far. Of course, all of us help the team in the process. I 2019 semi-finals. know there is added pressure am sure that the 11 that start After reaching the quar- because it is the semi-final, will perform very well for us ter-finals in 2000 and 2011, but I think we are feeling con- against a strong side that has Tuesday’s encounter repre- fident rather than under pres- shown great organisation, and sents Qatar’s first foray into sure ahead of the match. which has talented players the last four, with Sanchez’s “It is a very big game for us, who can make a difference.” charges, who have yet to con- and we are very pleased to be “The match against the cede a goal, amassing five in the semi-finals of this very UAE is more difficult than the successive victories during important tournament. Hope- My squad is ambitious, and they have Abdelkarim Hassan and ones we have faced previously. their historic campaign. fully against the UAE we are want to keep going. It has not Assim Madibo available once As you progress in a tourna- With a title showdown now going to play to our strengths been easy to keep getting the again after the duo served a one- ment every game becomes just 90 minutes away, and de- and try to do our very best to results we have done game after match ban during the quarter- harder and harder. spite the rarefied atmosphere continue (even further) in the game, but hopefully in the semi- final win over South Korea. “We must try to play in the that accompanies any semi- competition.” final we can perform well again While wary of the threat correct way in order to get the final showdown, the Spanish “The players are looking for- and reach the final.” the UAE will pose, Sanchez right result. My players are tactician is backing his play- ward to the game, and their re- Qatar will be missing Ab- is adamant that his players highly motivated and want to ers to continue their fine form sults up until now show that this delaziz Hatim and Bassam al are fully prepared for what achieve the win which would GRAPHIC: QFA TWITTER against the 1996 finalists. group are mentally very strong. Rawi through suspension, but is sure to be another stern help us go through to the final.” Former Qatar History made, more in store star Lami’s rallying cry AFC wear that crest, you should ABU DHABI know your responsibility. You should know that there are a FORMER Qatar forward Adel lot of players who shed tears Lami has urged the side’s cur- hoping that they would be rent generation to embrace able to wear this jersey. the responsibility of repre- “So you have been handed senting the nation in their this opportunity and your first ever AFC Asian Cup role now is to represent the semi-final, against host na- people. The same is true for tion United Arab Emirates on other countries as well,” said Tuesday. Lami, seen below in his Qatar national team days. Expanding further on his own personal commitment to the Qatari cause, Lami re- called the 2007 AFC Asian Cup in Southeast Asia, where he appeared in all three of his side’s group stage matches. Then 21 years old, he sus- tained an injury which would ultimately keep him out of top-level football for over Abdelkarim Hassan leads Al Annabi during their training warm-up on the eve of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 semi-final against UAE in buA Dhabi on Monday evening. a year, but even now, Lami says that extraordinarily hefty price was one worth paying. With two sides looking to take another step towards a first Continental title at AFC Asian Cup “We played well in this (2007) tournament, especially 2019 semi-final, here’s how hosts UAE and steamrolling Qatar stand ahead of the key clash in the game against Japan,” he recalled. “We drew that game STATS FACTS History made, more in store and it was one of the best Whatever comes to pass matches I have ever played at QATAR UAE against the UAE, Felix the international level.” FIFA world ranking: 93 FIFA world ranking: 79 Sanchez’s side have already Adel Lami, who won 21 caps for “After the game against Ranking in Asia: 13 Ranking in Asia: 8 surpassed the performances Al Annabi from 2005 to 2014. Japan, I got injured. The doc- Previous Asian Cups: 9 Previous Asian Cups: 9 of all Qatari sides to have to tor said I couldn’t play and Best performance: Quarter-finals (2000, 2011) Best performance: Runners-up (1996) come before them by reaching had to return home, (but) 2015: Group stage 2015: Third place the semi-finals, and have im- I took a painkiller shot and Nickname: The Maroons Nickname: The Whites proved immeasurably on their Coach: Felix Sanchez Bas Coach: Alberto Zaccheroni forced myself to play on. zero-point showing in 2015. For me, every player who Top scorer at 2019 Asian Cup: Almoez Ali (7) Top scorer at 2019 Asian Cup: Ali Mabkhout (4) “I completed the tourna- ROAD TO THE SEMI-FINAL ROAD TO THE SEMI-FINAL Qatar’s place in the final wears Qatar’s crest on his ment like this with the pain- Group E (First) Group A (First) four is a first, but the hosts chest, is excellent and killer, but after it got over, I Qatar 2-0 Lebanon UAE 1-1 Bahrain only need to case their minds deserving. Every player who was ruled out for almost 18 Qatar 6-0 North Korea UAE 2-0 India back four years to their last wears it will be capable of months due to the injury and Qatar 2-0 Saudi Arabia UAE 1-1 Thailand semi-final showing, when Ma- the painkiller. Round of 16 Round of 16 bkhout and Omar Abdulrah- carrying that responsibility. “But that’s alright. Why? Qatar 1-0 Iraq UAE 3-2 Kyrgyzstan (AET) man shone, before falling to Because you’re representing Quarter-final Quarter-final the hosts in Australia. Former Qatar star Adel Lami Qatar 1-0 South Korea UAE 1-0 Australia the country, because for us, The Emiratis are in their the players, representing Qa- second successive semi-final Five successive wins have tar and playing well was the only a red card in Monday’s the top provider of goals in for the first time since 1996, the West Asian nation on the biggest concern.” match will result in a player the competition, with Akram also on home soil. They beat brink of history, and potentially The Qatari class of 2019 missing the final. Afif producing five assists, and West Asian opposition to two good performances away enter the semi-finals with the creating a tournament-best 17 reach the final that year, his- from becoming the ninth na- confidence created by what A tale of two strikers chances in his five matches. tory local fans will be hoping tion to claim the Continental remains a perfect campaign. Tuesday’s semi-final will fea- While Qatar’s main goal repeats itself on Tuesday. title. Lami believes Felix Qatar captain Hassan al Haydos with star striker Almoez Ali during the ture a coming together of two threat is a relatively new ar- UAE have had the clear Lami, who won 21 caps for Sanchez’s side is rich in talent, team’s training session in Abu Dhabi on Monday. of the standout forwards of the rival in the wider Asian con- ascendancy in the minimal re- Al Annabi from 2005 to 2014, but maintains their real strength competition in Almoez Ali and sciousness, the Emiratis are cent encounters between the spoke passionately about his lies in their collective mentality. Injury clouds for hosts sion against the Socceroos. Ali Mabkhout. being propelled by Mabkhout two sides, winning in their last pride for the national shirt, “The current team has It will be a suspenseful wait for Bassam al Rawi and Ab- After six goals at last year’s ‘s goals for the second succes- three meetings including an calling on Felix Sanchez’s some excellent players,” he the Emirati team sheet to be delaziz Hatim, Qatar’s goal AFC U-23 Championship, Qa- sive edition.