Skorza confident of UAE playing in Tokyo as Vietnam test looms

Maciej Skorza is optimistic his UAE side can realise their dream of playing in the 2020 Olympics, despite an injury blow ahead of their AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020 opener against Vietnam on Friday.

To reach Tokyo 2020, Skorza’s men have to better their performances at the two previous appearances in the competition, which both ended at the quarter-finals. In 2013 they were eliminated by Jordan and three years later, it was Iraq that knocked them out at the same stage.

The first obstacle on their way are 2018 runners-up Vietnam. The two sides had faced-off in the group stage of the 2016 edition, with the UAE emerging 3-2 winners to top the group, while Vietnam finished bottom at the time.

“Tomorrow we are starting to realise our dream to play in Tokyo 2020,” said the Polish coach. “Our focus now will be on the first match, then we will look at qualification to the quarter-finals. We are optimistic about our chances to reach Tokyo 2020.

“The first game is very important psychologically, but we have to remember that three days later we have another game. At the 2018 Asian Games we lost the first match, but eventually we got the bronze medal.

The Whites suffered a setback in preparation as striker Mohammed Juma was sent home after suffering a knee injury in a pre-tournament friendly.

Sitting in the opposite dugout to Skorza will be Park Hang-seo, Vietnam’s Korean coach was also in charge of the first team when Nguyen Tien Linh’s strike earned them a 1-0 win over the UAE in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

“The first match against UAE will be a difficult one,” explained Park.

“The Emiratis are a strong team and we have faced them before in the 2018 Asian Games where the game went all the way to penalty shootouts, so we know what to expect from them.

“We know they have eight players here who are regulars in the first team as well,” said Park. “We played them in a friendly last year and since it is the first game for both sides here in Thailand 2020, there is a bit of pressure but we will find a way to overcome this.”

Led by the likes of Tien Linh and Nguyen Quang Hai, Vietnam are widely tipped to perform well in Thailand 2020, and although Park acknowledges their status, he believes competition can come from anywhere.

The Emiratis have an opportunity to avenge their Asian Qualifiers 1-0 defeat in Hanoi, especially with many players from that game featuring for their nations’ U-23 sides in Buriram.

One player who can’t wait to make amends is defender Khalifa Al Hammadi. The Al Jazira centre-back was on the receiving end of a red card minutes before Nguyen Tien Linh’s thunderous strike gave Vietnam a first-half lead that would prove to be the difference at the final whistle.

At Buriram Stadium, Al Hammadi will look to muster the experiences gained, not only in that match, but throughout a 2019 which saw him make his senior international debut in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 and go on to establish himself as a key member of the UAE national team at the age of 21.

“We all understand the importance of this game,” explained the defender. “East Asian teams in general are hard-working, they fight until the last minute and never give up. We will strive to give our best. Hopefully we can be up to the challenge and get some positive results here.

“To play with the national team in the Asian Qualifiers and the AFC Asian Cup at this age certainly adds a lot of experience to your personality. Hopefully I can share this experience with my teammates and help them throughout this tournament.”

For club and country, Al Hammadi enjoys the tutelage of veterans such as 2016 AFC Player of the Year Omar Abdulrahman, Ali Mabkhout and goalkeeper Ali Khaseif. The trio were part of the UAE side that contested at the 2012 London Olympics, putting in memorable performances despite a group stage exit.

“Reaching the London Olympics in 2012 was a huge achievement for UAE football. As a new generation, we aspire to replicate it. We are more than capable of achieving what the previous generation did.

Lining alongside Al Hammadi on Friday will be club teammates Mohammed Al Attas and Abdullah Ramadan - the trio have been at the heart of the UAE’s rebuilding job after the 2019 AFC Asian Cup -- as departing coach Bert van Marwijk installed Al Hammadi and Al Attas as his starting centre-back pairing.

“This stability is great for both the club and the national team. We are both young players and the harmony between us should benefit the group. Hopefully we can both do our very best and add value to the team.