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UAE Looking to Avenge Defeat Against China
Revenge will be foremost on the mind of the United Arab Emirates team as they brace up to face group leaders China in a crucial World Cup Group B qualifier at the Al Nahyan stadium Thursday evening in Abu Dhabi.
A win for the UAE will keep them tied with China with 10 points and a loss could all but sever their cause for even the second spot in the group.
Following two consecutive defeats by China and Qatar on home ground, the UAE's hard-fought 1-0 win in Tashkent against Uzbekistan has lifted the morale of the team and put their campaign back on track.
This motivation and along with their objective of repairing their pride following their 3-0 defeat in Shenyang to China, will go a long way to decide the course of the game this evening.
Both the teams completed their preparations for this crucial encounter. With the home ground advantage and vocal fans in their favour, coach Tini Ruijs' players will have to be wary of not making the same mistakes and conceding an early goal as they did in their match in Shenyang.
They seem to have shown drastic improvement in their defence lately as they have conceded just one goal in their last three games.
The UAE will also have to be careful against the aerial superiority and quick movements of the Chinese.
The UAE coach has kept his cards close to his chest, choosing to announce his playing 11 only before the kick-off.
The home team held close-door training in the past two days, denying any interviews from the Chinese press.
The UAE will have to put up with the absence of Mohammed Qassim, who had two yellow cards in the last game, and Zuhair Bakhit, who is still recovering from an injury.
China Needs Eight Points to Qualify for World Cup Finals Chinese head coach Bora Milutinovic can feel the pressure easing off as his wards attempt to enter their first-ever World Cup finals next year.
The Serbian coach has praised his team's confidence and credited this as the reason for his side coming to within eight points of qualifying.
"I don't think my team has shown higher morale on the pitch before," said Milutinovic today before the Chinese team takes on the United Arab Emirates in a curcial game of the Group B this evening.
"We don't want to prolong our journey. We want to secure our place for next year's finals before our last qualifier against Uzbekistan in Tashkent on October 19," said Milutinovic who has the rare record of leading four different countries -- Mexico, Costa Rico, the United States and Nigeria -- into the World Cup finals.
China is two points clear of Qatar with a game in hand after their three wins and a draw at the halfway stage of the competition.
Another two wins and draws each, amounting to eight points, will see the Chinese team through to next year's finals co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
The Chinese team will have to start without their talented goalkeeper Jiang Jing who is nursing a hand injury he sustained during the China-Uzbekistan encounter.
China beat the UAE 3-0 in a home victory in Shenyang last month.
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