Although a place in the next phase has already been secured, UAE manager Paulo Bento says his team are determined to finish Round 2 of 2026 World Cup qualification with maximum points.
The national team, who booked their spot in the third and final round with two matches to spare, conclude their Group H campaign on Tuesday night at home to Bahrain.
Last Thursday’s 4-0 victory against Nepal made it five wins from five for the UAE, meaning they are guaranteed to finish top of the standings no matter the result at the Zabeel Stadium.
However, Bento insisted on Monday that his side will not be taking their foot off the pedal against their second-placed opponents – even if he is also looking at the bigger picture.
“Every match is a good opportunity to improve our style, our idea,” Bento said. “This is the most important for tomorrow. Of course, we think a little bit about the result, but a lot in the process.
“It’s a game that, if we talk about the positions in the table, it’s not going to change anything. We are already qualified. At the end, we will be in first position. But we will have other aspects to take into consideration.
“At the same time, we want to reach 18 points, which means that in this phase of qualifying we are among the small group who can do that, like Iraq, Australia and Japan.
“To do that we need to score, which will mean that we have scored in all the games in the group. We have the opportunity to have a clean sheet in five games (out) of six, which will be important.
“And of course, it’s important to make a good game, perform in the best possible way, attack to score and at the same time to defend well, don’t concede too many chances to the opponent.”
The UAE, seeking to reach only a second World Cup in the country’s history, defeated Bahrain 2-0 in the corresponding fixture last November – their Gulf neighbours’ only loss in this round.
Both teams have sealed their place in draw for the next phase, which takes place later this month.
“In all the games, the main goal should be compete as well as possible and as much as possible,” Bento said. “This means we should do everything we can to reach the three points and perform as well as possible and improve from the previous games.
“To be honest with you, I don’t know yet which starting XI we are going to use tomorrow because we have many, many things to take into consideration – but if we can bring some opportunities for the young players, we will do that.
“However, the main goal is to compete as much as we can and try to win the game and reach three more points, the 18 points I talked about in the beginning. We will try to do that, and I hope we can perform in the best possible way.”
Sitting alongside Bento at Monday’s press conference, fast-rising striker Sultan Adil said: “I’d like to thank all the players and ensure that the national team is well-prepared for the last match. We are hoping and working on finishing the group stage with 18 points and to proceed to the next round fully prepared.”
Despite turning 20 only last month, Adil has excelled on the international scene since his debut in March last year. The Al Ain frontman, who spent last season on loan at Ittihad Kalba, has scored in each of his past four senior-team appearances.
“I want to thank God for the support I get and also the coach and the players for all the mental and physical support I get from them,” Adil said. “I always try to work as hard as possible to achieve this. At the end of the day, when you work hard you get the reward.
“I represent the UAE and that gives me a lot of motivation to do my best for the national team.”
Meanwhile, Bahrain manager Dragan Talajic said of Tuesday’s clash: "We are coming here to try and play a good game and do the best we can. Inshallah, we will see.
“The UAE have a really nice team. In one perspective, maybe they have one of the best, if you take the young age of the players and how they are playing. It means tomorrow will be a tough game. It will be a good exam for us.”
Asked what impresses him most about the UAE, Talajic replied: “Bento has made them very organised; the wingers are very fast; in the middle some experienced players with some younger players, which is a good mix.
“Also, in defence, we don’t need to say anything: they have the goalkeeper from [Asian champions] Al Ain [Khalid Essa]. So, a really good team. And I wish them all the best for the next round of qualification. Just not for tomorrow.”
TALE OF THE TAPE
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
Record: 16-0-1 (11 KOs)
Age: 29
Weight: 146.2lbs
Height: 175cm
Reach: 173cm
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.3-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E299hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E420Nm%20at%202%2C750rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12.4L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh157%2C395%20(XLS)%3B%20Dh199%2C395%20(Limited)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A German university was a good fit for the family budget
Annual fees for the Technical University of Munich - £600
Shared rental accommodation per month depending on the location ranges between £200-600
The family had budgeted for food, books, travel, living expenses - £20,000 annually
Overall costs in Germany are lower than the family estimated
As proof that the student has the ability to take care of expenses, international students must open a blocked account with about £8,640
Students are permitted to withdraw £720 per month
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
