Five key UAE players who can help team reach the Asian Cup final

We take a look at who could make the difference ahead of the crucial semi-final against Qatar

Ismail Al Hammadi: The experienced Shabab Al Ahli attacker has played for the UAE more than 60 times and is the kind of player that gets the crowd off their seats with his direct running on the left wing. Looked the UAE’s most dangerous player in the quarter-final win over Australia and, as he awaits his first goal of the tournament, his teammates will be looking to feed the ball to his feet or in behind the full-back for him to run on to at every opportunity. Getty Images

Ian Oxborrow

Jan 29, 2019

It's the match that has the whole country talking.

The UAE face Qatar at the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium on Tuesday in the Asian Cup semi-finals.

And it isn't just the die-hard football fans who are taking an interest in how the national team is performing as they move towards potentially reaching the final of the Asian Cup for a second time.

So, having drawn against Bahrain and Thailand, beaten India, Kyrgyzstan and Australia, we take a look at the five players who could be key to making a difference in the semi-final.

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