Wednesday’s cover: UAE face familiar hurdles on road to 2018 World Cup

An illustration with UAE playmaker Omar Abdulrahman adorns The National Sport front cover on Wednesday, April 13, after the groups for the final round of Asian Qualyfing for the 2018 World Cup were announced in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

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An illustration with UAE playmaker Omar Abdulrahman adorns The National Sport front cover on Wednesday, April 13, after the groups for the final round of Asian Qualyfing for the 2018 World Cup were announced in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

The UAE were drawn in Group B, alongside Asian powerhouses Australia and Japan. Gulf rivals Saudi Arabia, as well as Iraq and Thailand make up the rest of the pot. Group A comprises Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, Qatar and Syria.

Yousef Al Serkal, the Football Association president, said Mahdi Ali's men would have the full support of his organisation, and has backed them to qualify for Russia in two years't time.

You can also read John McAuley's comment reacting to the UAE's tough group, where only the top two teams in each group are assured of reaching Russia 2018, while the third-placed team in each group faces one another in a play-off before the winner moves onto a deciding two-legged clash with a team from Concacaf.

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