UAE soccer squad due today

Published February 28, 2006

LAHORE, Feb 27: A 44-member contingent of the United Arab Emirates football squad is scheduled to arrive in Karachi on Tuesday to face Pakistan in the 14th Asian Cup qualifier Group C match to be held at the Peoples’ Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday.

The squad comprising 22 players and 15 officials.

UAE Football Association president Yousuf Yaqoob Al-Serkal will arrive on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Alisher of Uzbekistan will act as match commissioner

Alisher Muminov is the head of the Uzbekistan FA’s international department.

The AFC also appointed Mohamed Ameex of Maldives as referee assessor.

Football Association of Thailand secretary general Worawi Makudi has confirmed four Thai referees for the coming match.

The 42-year-old Tongkhan Satop, who supervised World Cup qualifier between Syria and Kyrgyzstan at Damascus on Nov 17, 2004, will supervise the match.

Klienklard Sitthikhun and Kongtongkai Sunchai will assist Satop. Khanthama Adunyachart will act as fourth official.

The qualifiers will be played on a home and away basis between Feb 22 and Nov15, with the top two teams from each group advancing.

The 12 qualifiers will play the main round to be held by four countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, from July 9, 2007.

The Asian Cup was first played in 1956.

The 2007 competition will be the 14th edition.

Team: Ismail Matar Ibrahim (captain), Abdul Raheem Juma Anbar, Mohamed Omar Mohamed, Subait Khater Fayel, Faisal Khalil Mubarak, Bader Yaqoot Taqoot, Mohamed Qassim Juma, Ali Mohamed Rashid, Salem Saad Mubarak, Waleed Salem Sulaiman, Ali Ahmed AlWehaibi, Humaid Fakher Hussain, Hilal Saeed Humaid, Omran Mohamed AlJasmi, Mohamed Khamis Salem, Haidar Alo Ali, Yousuf Mousa Ali, Ali Abbas Yasin, Nawaf Mubarak Musabeh, Saeed Hassan Al-Kas, Mutaz Abdulla Mohamed and Majed Naser Humaid.

Officials: Mohammad Abdul Wahab Dhakan (head of delegation), Saeed Abdulla Ibrahim (member), Hassan Shaouki Shaeth (president private secretary), Mohsin Musabah Faraj (manager), Dominique Bathenay (head coach), Bader Ahmed Saleh, Patrice Coutard (assistant coaches), Jozef Hros (goalkeeping coach), Nour Eddine Boufalgha (translator), Jalal El-Gali (doctor), Youcef Sahnoun (phtysiotherapist), Getilio Antonio Da Silva (masseur), Hassan Dahoud Fahed (secretary), Abbas Ibrahim Mahmoodi (logistics officer).