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DPA
Abu Dhabi
“Let’s welcome the Qatar team!” boomed the announcer at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi
on Tuesday.
“Booooooooooooo!” replied the crowd. Let’s not.
In an Asian Cup played out largely in front of half-empty, sterile stadiums, the hosting United Arab Emirates meeting Qatar in the semi-finals was a reminder of exactly what these events are supposed to be like.
Nearly 40,000 squeezed into Al Jazira’s ground, a stadium which - in contrast to many others in the tournament - was truly built for football. The lower-tier stands are incredible close to the pitch and the upper level banks steeply so even though high up are not too far away.
And even when the Qatar players jogged onto the pitch some 50 minutes before kick-off they were given a hostile reception. The announcer optimistically suggested they would throw some mini-footballs to the crowd as souvenirs but perhaps they had forgotten to pick them up on the way out tunnel.
While Qatar, World Cup hosts in 2022, had dazzled in the tournament and the UAE gradually picked up momentum, no one in the stands was pretending football was the only thing being contested over the 90 minutes.
The UAE prevented Qatari fans coming to the tournament while media and officials - usually exempt from harassment at sporting events – reported difficulties getting into the country.
Even the Qatar squad were unable to get a short direct flight from Doha, instead having to go a much longer route.
If this bothered Qatar coach Felix Sanchez before, he didn’t let it show and a 4-0 humiliation of the hosts allowed him to leave with the grace of a winner.
While his players had been showered by shoes and bottles in celebrating their many goals he assessed: “in general it was fair play, only a few people ... behaved in a not proper way.”
Sanchez added his players “were aware there’d be a lot of pressure from the fans, as the host nation it’s quite normal the people come to support their team.”
Two goals down by half-time, their enthusiasm was somewhat muted. As it was not an official UAE home game but rather a ‘neutral’ venue, the DJ could have been advised to alter his script.
“I absolutely love the energy tonight,” he commented as worried Emiratis nervously considered the odds of a comeback.
UAE coach Alberto Zaccheroni made a half-time change and another soon after and the crowd were soon behind their charges again – they recognised it was not the will to win that was missing but ability.
“I thank the players, they had the team spirit all along the game and all the players did their best,” Zaccheroni admitted.
Qatar, looked at with doubts in football terms when awarded the World Cup, have built and built. They have reached the final without conceding a goal while scoring 16 - former champions Saudi Arabia, Iraq and South Korea have all been dismissed.
“Qatar is very nice in terms of sport, we have the Aspire Academy which was one of the keys in developing the team,” said Sanchez.
“The Aspire Academy, the football association, the clubs, all work together with the same target. The result in this tournament gives us the proof with hard work and good orgniazaiton we can achieve the right results.”
Next up for Qatar is Japan in Friday’s final in what will be their toughest test to date. A first Asian title, before they guest at the Copa America in a few months as another World Cup tune-up, would be remarkable achievement.
For the UAE, they gave everything but fell short. Ismail Ahmed being cheered wildly for elbowing Salem Al Hajri to receive a red card summed up their night – plenty of fight directed in the wrong place.Qatar eased into the Asian Cup final as hosts
UAE discovered all the support in the world cannot make up for a
big difference
in ability
Abu Dhabi
“Let’s welcome the Qatar team!” boomed the announcer at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi
on Tuesday.
“Booooooooooooo!” replied the crowd. Let’s not.
In an Asian Cup played out largely in front of half-empty, sterile stadiums, the hosting United Arab Emirates meeting Qatar in the semi-finals was a reminder of exactly what these events are supposed to be like.
Nearly 40,000 squeezed into Al Jazira’s ground, a stadium which - in contrast to many others in the tournament - was truly built for football. The lower-tier stands are incredible close to the pitch and the upper level banks steeply so even though high up are not too far away.
And even when the Qatar players jogged onto the pitch some 50 minutes before kick-off they were given a hostile reception. The announcer optimistically suggested they would throw some mini-footballs to the crowd as souvenirs but perhaps they had forgotten to pick them up on the way out tunnel.
While Qatar, World Cup hosts in 2022, had dazzled in the tournament and the UAE gradually picked up momentum, no one in the stands was pretending football was the only thing being contested over the 90 minutes.
The UAE prevented Qatari fans coming to the tournament while media and officials - usually exempt from harassment at sporting events – reported difficulties getting into the country.
Even the Qatar squad were unable to get a short direct flight from Doha, instead having to go a much longer route.
If this bothered Qatar coach Felix Sanchez before, he didn’t let it show and a 4-0 humiliation of the hosts allowed him to leave with the grace of a winner.
While his players had been showered by shoes and bottles in celebrating their many goals he assessed: “in general it was fair play, only a few people ... behaved in a not proper way.”
Sanchez added his players “were aware there’d be a lot of pressure from the fans, as the host nation it’s quite normal the people come to support their team.”
Two goals down by half-time, their enthusiasm was somewhat muted. As it was not an official UAE home game but rather a ‘neutral’ venue, the DJ could have been advised to alter his script.
“I absolutely love the energy tonight,” he commented as worried Emiratis nervously considered the odds of a comeback.
UAE coach Alberto Zaccheroni made a half-time change and another soon after and the crowd were soon behind their charges again – they recognised it was not the will to win that was missing but ability.
“I thank the players, they had the team spirit all along the game and all the players did their best,” Zaccheroni admitted.
Qatar, looked at with doubts in football terms when awarded the World Cup, have built and built. They have reached the final without conceding a goal while scoring 16 - former champions Saudi Arabia, Iraq and South Korea have all been dismissed.
“Qatar is very nice in terms of sport, we have the Aspire Academy which was one of the keys in developing the team,” said Sanchez.
“The Aspire Academy, the football association, the clubs, all work together with the same target. The result in this tournament gives us the proof with hard work and good orgniazaiton we can achieve the right results.”
Next up for Qatar is Japan in Friday’s final in what will be their toughest test to date. A first Asian title, before they guest at the Copa America in a few months as another World Cup tune-up, would be remarkable achievement.
For the UAE, they gave everything but fell short. Ismail Ahmed being cheered wildly for elbowing Salem Al Hajri to receive a red card summed up their night – plenty of fight directed in the wrong place.Qatar eased into the Asian Cup final as hosts
UAE discovered all the support in the world cannot make up for a
big difference
in ability
