Caio Canedo, the UAE forward, says the national team still believe they can qualify for the World Cup, even if the route to get there has now changed.
A goalless draw with Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night sent the Central Asian side directly to the finals in United States, Canada and Mexico next year.
The UAE will instead face an extra phase of the qualifying process. They will play in a three-team pool over the course of a week in October, alongside two other third or fourth placed sides from the third round of Asian qualifying. The winners of that will go to the World Cup.
Those will be the 13th and 14th matches the UAE will have played in the convoluted competition structure in Asia.
Even then, it is possible the process could be extended into an extra two rounds. The second placed sides in October’s tournament will then face play-offs to make it into an intercontinental tournament which will decide the final qualifiers for the World Cup.
Despite the seemingly never-ending journey, Canedo said the UAE “project” still feels new. That is because of the belated arrival of Cosmin Olaroiu as coach, in a move which has apparently infused the squad with new belief.
Candeo spoke after Thursday's goalless draw against Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi that left them third in Group A of Asian qualifying. His comments came before the Football Association on Sunday stood down two of his teammates, Khaled Al Dhanhani and Sultan Adil, from the squad travelling to Kyrgyzstan for Tuesday’s final match for an unspecified “violation”.
“There is a feeling of disappointment because only the victory mattered, but we can still go to the World Cup, just in a different way,” Canedo said.
“If you see the players now, nobody is happy. But we have to believe in the project, we have to believe in the new coach, a great coach with new ideas.
“It is still the beginning, with a new project and ideas and we are all working together. We have got to keep going. We still have another way to go through.”
Canedo, the Al Wasl forward, was introduced late on against Uzbekistan as the home side tried to find a way through a resolute backline.
They fell short, though, as the visitors secured the point they needed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time.
“We knew it would be difficult,” Canedo said. “We were very optimistic to win, and I think the team played a good game.
“We fought, and the circumstances of the game meant they would play with five [at the back], tall guys, who were physically strong.
“We had chances, and they just had one when they hit the post. We are building an identity, a new project, new idea, new formation and new players.
“We need time. Of course, we don’t have this time, but we need it. There are no excuses, we just have to keep working hard, talk less, and we still have a chance to go through.”
Canedo, Hareb Abdullah and Yahya Al Ghassani were all introduced as second-half substitutes. Each of them has had an impact on the UAE’s qualifying campaign, even though they were light on game time for their club sides at times last season.
For his first match in charge, Olaroiu brought Ali Saleh and Majed Hassan back into the starting line up after long absences.
Each has been playing regularly in the UAE Pro League; Saleh as captain of Al Wasl, and Hassan in the engine room of Olaroiu’s Sharjah side who were runners-up to Shabab Al Ahli.
Olaroiu said after the draw against Uzbekistan the absence of national team players from club duty is a problem that needs to be solved.
“When we thought about the starting game, we thought about the players who play regularly in their clubs, because they have to have minutes in their legs,” Olaroiu said.
“That is one thing we have to have in consideration when we select the first XI. We need the players to play and this is a problem. Some of the players don’t play too much in their clubs.”
The UAE will face Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek on Tuesday in their last match in this phase of Asian qualifying.
