Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos face UAE with Omar Abdulrahman in their sights
THE SOCCEROOS have tagged UAE superstar Omar Abdulrahman as ‘not a hard worker’ ahead of Monday night’s Asian Cup quarter-final.
UAE SUPERSTAR Omar Abdulrahman has been cleared to play against the Socceroos in Monday night’s Asian Cup quarter-final.
Suggestions of a recurrence of an ankle injury suffered in the final game of last November’s Gulf Cup were dispelled last night when he got through UAE’s hour-long training session in Newcastle.
Abdulrahman, 23, was spotted limping on Saturday. It’s understood it was merely caused by a broken toenail suffered in the penalty shootout win over Japan.
Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury warned about the threat posed by the Emirati attacker, who has played all 390 minutes and starred at the Asian Cup.
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“Very tidy on the ball. Not the hardest worker and I think we can exploit that,’’ Sainsbury said.
“At the same time if we have got the ball we have also got to keep one eye on him defensively, that is going to be the biggest thing for us as a defence.
“I don’t think I have been around that long to compare him to anyone but he has just got that arrogance about him, he has got the cheekiness to chuck in a nutmeg here and there.
“He’s a very quick thinker on the ball so if we can counteract that and get in his face and not let him get his head up, hopefully we can stop him.
“If we can keep him facing his goal then he’s not going to be able to face forward and play that killer ball so to keep him playing backwards would be a good plan for us.’’
Sainsbury was among six Socceroos (Tim Cahill, Massimo Luongo, Ivan Franjic, Mathew Leckie and Robbie Kruse) who watched training from the sidelines after completing the warm-up, with several sporting ice packs afterwards.
The main group had a short sharp session late Sunday afternoon. Only defender Matthew Spiranovic did more intensive solo drills under the watchful eye of physio Les Gelis after he missed the China clash with suspension.
Sainsbury said the Socceroos will try and maul the UAE when in possession in the sudden death Hunter Stadium clash.
“It is just going to be quick ball movement, player movement and as soon as we lose the ball try and win it back, try and choke them until their blue,’’ Sainsbury said.
“I don’t think the UAE has got the legs and the stamina to go with us for 90 minutes.
“They will probably go in with the same game plan but in saying that you never know what is going to happen in these kind of games, they might come out and try and sneak an early goal like they did against Japan.
“We don’t know, we have just got to adapt to the game as it goes on.’’
Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos face UAE with Omar Abdulrahman in their sights
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