UAE beat Czech Republic on penalties

Amith Passela

• Last Updated: November 16. 2009 12:08AM UAE / November 15. 2009 8:08PM GMT

The Czech players chase down the UAE's Yousef Jaber during the first half. Amy Leang / The National

AL AIN // A rejuventaed UAE stunned the Czech Republic 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 result at full time in the four-team UAE International Cup at the Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium yesterday night.

The goalkeeper Majed Naser made two saves after the captain David Rozenhal sent the first shot wide for Srecko Katanec’s men to emerge victorious.

Salem Abdulla was off target from the first penalty but Yousef Jaber, Hamdan al Kamali and Amer Abdulrahman were spot on to keep the Slovenian’s record clean after four games.

The UAE will meet Iraq, who edged out Azerbaijan 1-0, in the final on Wednesday. The Czech Republic and Azerbaijan will go into the play-off for third place.

Katanec’s men had the taller and speedier Czechs closely marked throughout the game and staved off the visitors who created a few chances in the first half.

Naser did well to keep out Rozehnal’s glancing header off a free kick from the right flank in the sixth minute. Adam Hlousek wasted a couple of chances from inside the box, firing the first wide and following it up with a weak effort. Roman Hubnik’s header off a corner also went wide in the added time of the first half.

Mahmoud Khamis could have put the home side ahead in the 20th minute but his header from eight yards didn’t have the power to beat Jaroslav Drobny, after Ali al Wehaibi’s strike from the edge box ricocheted off a defender towards the Al Wahda midfielder.

Katanec made two changes on Thursday’s lineup with Manchester City, which they won 1-0. The UAE Under 20 team’s striker Ahmed Khalil came in place of Saeed al Kas and the regular stopper Majed Naser for Ali Kasheif.

Katenec rang the chances in the second half. He made a double substitution with the midfielders Salem Abdulla and Amer Abdulrahman coming in for Khamis and Subait Khater. He replaced Khalil with Ali Mabkhout in the 67th minute.

In the earlier game, Bassim Abbas scored two minutes from time to lead Iraq to a 1-0 triumph over Azerbaijan.

Abbas fired a powerful shot from 25 yards that slipped out of Kamran Aghayev’s hands. Iraq could have taken the lead earlier but the substitute Emad Mohammed Redha’s spot kick was pushed out by Aghayev in the 65th minute after Alaa Abd Al Zahrah was brought down by Volodmir Levin.

apassela@thenational.ae