Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup: UAE face must-win match with world champions Portugal

The UAE will meet Portugal, the 2015 Beach Soccer World Cup winners, knowing only three points can guarantee safe passage to the quarter-finals — this despite the Emirates sitting top of their qualifying group and the only nation yet to lose.

Action from the UAE's match against Panama on Sunday, April 30 at the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in the Bahamas. Photo courtesy Lea Weil
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NASSAU, BAHAMAS // If there is one team to avoid in a must-win match, it is surely the world champions. Yet in a curious turn of events, on Tuesday the UAE will meet Portugal, the 2015 Beach Soccer World Cup winners, knowing only three points can guarantee safe passage to the quarter-finals — this despite the Emirates sitting top of their qualifying group and the only nation yet to lose.

Mohammed Bashir’s team channelled all their experience to edge a dramatic penalty shoot-out against newcomers Panama on Sunday night after the match ended 2-2 in the Bahamas. However, Portugal’s earlier surprise 5-3 defeat to Paraguay means the UAE could still be eliminated should they fail to win tonight and Paraguay defeat Panama.

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It would be a particularly galling way to go given the way the UAE have performed so far at the two-week tournament, winning not only their two matches, but also admiration from the rowdy locals who have grown to cheer their every shot. Against Panama, the Emirates looked like the better team throughout, but failed to find a winning goal after a flurry of action inside the opening period.

“In beach soccer, so much can change in one minute,” said captain Walid Mohammed, who opened the scoring after just 56 seconds. “We started better and scored early, but then conceded twice and lost our concentration. After we equalised, we were more careful, controlled the game, but couldn’t get a winner until the penalties.”

In the shoot-out, Emirati defender Waleed Beshr struck the crossbar at 2-1 down, but goalkeeper Humaid Jamal responded by springing to block what would have been Panama’s winning spot-kick. “I read the player,” Jamal said. “When he was coming towards the ball, I knew he was gong to shoot to my right. I thank God for this save.”

With draws prohibited in beach soccer, each tied game involves a three-minute period of extra time followed by three penalties each. The team that wins on penalties are rewarded with one extra point. With four points after two games, the UAE top Group C, meaning should Panama beat Paraguay on Tuesday, the UAE will qualify for the knock-out stages for the first time in history — and before their final match even kicks off. Not that the players are willing to consider such a scenario.

“We are here to go as far as we can, but we take it step by step,” said Mohammed. “We will go up against Portugal only thinking about winning. The other possibilities will not even enter our heads. We want to finish top of the group.”

The two teams have met just once before at a World Cup, with the Europeans winning 7-5 at the 2009 tournament in the UAE. Last year, they met again in Dubai, at the Intercontinental Cup, where this time the Emirates came out on top.

“When we played them last year, they were arriving as world champions yet we beat them 4-1, so that gives us belief,” said goalkeeper Jamal. “The only specific thing we did in that game was be completely focused from the first minute until the last, so that is all we will do this time too. We know if we are to qualify we must win, so that is how we are thinking about it. Nobody knows what will happen in the other game, so we want to keep our destiny in our own hands.”

Group C standings

UAE – 4 points

Paraguay – 3 points

Portugal – 3 points

Panama – 0

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