The UAE swept past Indonesia 4-1 on Tuesday to top Group B, setting up a quarter-final meeting with hosts Myanmar in the AFC Under 19 Championship on Friday.
The UAE needed to win by a two-goal margin to secure a place in the last eight, but they did even better to finish on top of the group on goal difference after Uzbekistan held Australia to a 1-1 draw. All three teams finished with five points apiece.
Mohammed Al Akberi and Ahmed Al Hashmi put the UAE two up in the first half.
Saeed Jassim added a third and Ahmed Rabia regained the three-goal cushion – after Indonesia had pulled one back through Mohammed Dima – at the Wunna Theikdi Stadium in Nay Pyi Taw.
“It was important that we scored early. That really helped the players settle their nerves, knowing that we had to score goals today,” said Abdullah Misfir, the UAE coach.
“Although we got a little nervous after Indonesia scored, we came out again and got another goal, which was really great.”
With the semi-finalists earning a direct passage to the Fifa U20 World Cup, the UAE are one game away from securing a ticket to New Zealand for the biennial competition, set to begin on May 30, 2015.
apassela@thenational.ae
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