UAE football team closer to Olympic goal

The UAE's much-prized under-23 football squad battles it out with Uzbekistan for that all-important historic inclusion into the Olympic Games today under the dusky-chill of JAR Stadium, amid bleak but humid conditions in Tashkent from 5pm [UAE time]. At least a draw would qualify Mahdi Ali's team directly into London 2012, while hosts and second in Group B Uzbekistan need to beat their guests outright to avoid the unenviable task of qualifying via a three-way round robin with fellow runners-up in Vietnam. That's followed by a daunting play-off, if successful, in England versus Senegal. While a footballing fervour has been quick to boil over in the UAE, with up to 1,000 fans expected to make the trip, Uzbekistan's capital — almost modern, east Euroesque, but just as content to be neither — looks slow to simmer. However, a free pass to London would be its first taste of Olympic football also. Home advantage in terms of support and favourable climate is well in Uzbekistan's hands but the nagging doubt of the UAE only needing one point from a draw tells on some people's faces here today, not least coach Vadim Abramov, who appeared to be getting his answers in early at Tuesday's conference brimming wall-to-wall with reporters. With the JAR Stadium built into a ditch with raised and gated levels either end and just two narrow grandstands on each side, shadowed by semi-derelict-looking Soviet-era tower blocks and backstreets crazed by decrepit Russian-made Lada's all around, the usual home of FC Bunyodkor could transcend into jubilant chaos should Uzbekistan get the result they need. Such a predicament would leave UAE fans with nowhere to hide their disappointment if their ‘golden generation' of stars led by Hamdan Al Kamali, which has progressed from U15s level under coach Mahdi Ali since 2004, can't make its mark today despite years in the making. Likewise, with a similar nonchalant response as to why so many Emirati's have descended upon this city of contradictions, quirks and confusion — regular Tashkenters, huddled around dusty steaming side-street servings of afternoon ‘plov' could just resume normalcy if the result doesn't go their way. Success for Uzbekistan, who made the semi-finals of the 2011 Asia Cup and still remains well poised for World Cup 2014 is neither unexpected nor surprising, while the UAE who crashed out early in both of those competitions - look only to their youth for salvation. While Uzbek interests will surely be on future footballing development, their Olympic outfit hasn't been the headline grabber or last hope that the UAE's counterpart has been for everyday Emiratis. More fans clambered the railings to watch Bunyodkor train on the side pitch, or took to their own street match, rather than strain their necks to see who was on the Uzbek U23 team bus. In equal measure, this could work in favour or against the UAE in Tashkent today with a nation's disappointment from recent tournaments and the weight of expectation now a transferred burden on this promising batch. Either that or the assuming Uzbeks who can take it for granted their team will react today will be caught unawares in their own backyard. Either way the result on Wednesday is as genuinely unpredictable as it is engaging for two teams of equally as rich ilk. From gulfnews