ABU DHABI — United Arab Emirates (UAE) head coach Paulo Bento attributed his team's dominant 5-0 victory over Qatar in the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 Group A match to thorough preparation.
Fabio Lima starred with four goals, including a first-half hat-trick, which helped UAE climb to third place in the group, keeping them within reach of Iran and Uzbekistan.
“We prepared well to face Qatar, knowing they have a strong team with exceptional players and a high-level coach. We considered every possible scenario, as predicting their strategy was challenging. We succeeded in capitalizing on our chances and scoring goals – something we struggled with in the match against Uzbekistan, despite performing well. Unfortunately, we missed many easy opportunities then,” Bento was quoted saying by AFC website.
Lima’s early goals put UAE in control, with Bento's squad exploiting Qatar’s defensive lapses. The victory came after a frustrating loss to Uzbekistan, where the UAE had created chances but failed to convert them into goals. In this game, however, the team was clinical, taking full advantage of every opportunity that came their way.
On the other hand, Qatar’s head coach Marquez Lopez was left lamenting his team’s tactical errors following the defeat. “The UAE team earned a deserved victory, and I congratulate them,” Lopez said. “Our plan relied on a defensive approach and counterattacks, but Fabio Lima's early goal disrupted our strategy, leading to numerous individual errors that cost us.”
Lopez acknowledged the difficulty of regaining control after the early setback. “By the 80th minute, with the score at five in favor of the UAE, it was evident that further attempts were futile,” he added.
Qatar will now look to bounce back when they face DPR Korea in March.