Latest news with #KhalidAlDhanhani
The National
10-06-2025
- Sport
- The National
UAE finish World Cup qualification round with frustrating draw in Kyrgyzstan
The UAE ended the latest phase of the convoluted Asian qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup in frustration as they were held to a draw by Kyrgyzstan. Kai Merk struck an equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time at the end of the game, to cancel out Harib Abdallah's first-half strike for the national team. It was a second draw in the final five days of round three of the qualifiers, and a drab way for the rejigged national team to sign off. Cosmin Olaroiu, the UAE coach, had said on the eve of the game in Bishkek that the fixture would be a test of the players' character. Not in the same way as Thursday night's game against Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi. Automatic qualification for the World Cup had been riding on that, so full focus was a given then. This was the inverse. The game was essentially meaningless: the UAE were already confirmed in the next phase of qualifying – a play-off in October – while Kyrgyzstan's qualifying hopes were already at an end. So, with nothing to play for, which players would still give everything they had? For whom would just wearing the national team colours be enough? There was good reason for most them to give their best. Olaroiu had shuffled his pack from Thursday. There were a couple of reasons for that. Most dramatically, two players – Khalid Al Dhanhani and Sultan Adil – had been thrown out for misconduct. Others were injured, while Olaroiu also had his mind on another disciplinary issue. He was wary that a number of players were at risk of second yellow cards which would rule them out of the first game of October's play-offs. Those who came in would have been looking to prove they were worthy of being first-choice starters. Abdallah, for one, had missed out on the starting XI against the Uzbeks, having been a key man under the reign of Paulo Bento, Olaroiu's predecessor. The young forward looked sharp from the off, and was rewarded for his industry with the opening goal. On the half-hour Luan Pereira won possession and threaded a pass through to Abdallah, and he made no mistake with the finish. Clearly, he had won his coach's attention: two minutes later, he limped to the sideline with a knock, and he got an affectionate pat on his head from Olaroiu while he was there. On the balance of play, the away side probably deserved the lead, but they still might have gone into the interval level. In the fourth minute of stoppage time at the end of the half, there was a lengthy VAR review. After a tense wait, during which Luan had to be separated from some Kyrgyz players, the referee upheld his original decision of no penalty, but only after an offside had been spotted. Just over 12,000 were at the Dolon Omurzakov Stadium to watch. Tellingly, that was 3,000 more than made it to the Al Nahyan Stadium five nights earlier when qualification was on the line for the UAE. The Kyrgyz fans seemed happy for a night out, even with nothing riding on it for their national team. And it proved to be worth the wait for the home faithful, who roared with delight when Merk fired home his late leveller.
Gulf Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
UAE coach Olaroiu shifts focus to crucial playoff preparation
UAE will be aiming to lock down third spot when they travel to face Kyrgyzstan in their final AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26 Group A tie on Tuesday. Thursday's goalless draw with Uzbekistan ended UAE's hopes of automatic qualification and the West Asian side sit only a point ahead of Qatar, with both having sealed their places in the playoffs. Cosmin Olaroiu would have known before the tie against Uzbekistan that automatic qualification was going to be a long shot but the newly appointed head coach saw positives in the match and is already preparing for the playoffs. 'You have a once in a lifetime chance,' Olaroiu said. 'I don't think you should talk about motivation as much as preparation. That is the most important thing. Now is the end of the season, we have a break, then the clubs will start their preparations. 'In September, there is (an international) break and we will have some friendly games. The preparation is very, very important because the work the clubs will do now will influence it.' Kyrgyzstan, on the other hand, will be aiming to finish their debut campaign at this stage of the AFC Asian Qualifiers on a high note. Cosmin Olaroiu In a setback to the team ahead of the crucial match, the UAE Football Association has suspended defender Khalid Al Dhanhani and forward Sultan Adel for five domestic matches and fined each player Dhs500,000 on Sunday for misconduct during a national team training camp. The players have left the camp with immediate effect due to a violation of disciplinary rules and will not travel with the squad to Kyrgyzstan. 'The disciplinary committee of the UAE Football Association (UAEFA) has decided to suspend Sharjah player Khalid Al Dhanhani and Shabab Al Ahli player Sultan Adil for five domestic matches, and to impose a fine of Dh500,000 on each,' the UAEFA said in a statement on Sunday. 'They have also been removed from the senior national team list after committing a violation inside the national team training camp on June 7.' The clubs of the two players dismissed from the UAE national team have expressed their support for the Football Association's decision. While the specific nature of the 'violation' has not been disclosed, both players' clubs have backed the FA's actions. 'While the club reaffirms its full respect for the decisions and regulations of the UAE Football Association, it will proceed with the necessary disciplinary action against the player,' Sharjah club stated. Saudi aim for miracle against Australia: A Saudi squad that has scored six goals through nine qualifying games need to beat Australia by a five-goal margin to earn a direct spot at the 2026 World Cup. Head coach Herve Renard knows it's an extremely unlikely outcome for his Saudi team, but he's urging his players to go all in Tuesday in the last game of the third round of Asian qualifying for next year's global tournament. 'The door is closed but we have to try to qualify even if it is through the window,' Renard said after his team's 2-0 win over Bahrain last week kept Saudi Arabia in contention. 'Everything must go very well for us if we are to qualify; we have to score goals.' Anything less than a five-goal deficit means Australia — in second spot in Group C — will qualify for a seventh World Cup. The last time the Socceroos lost by such a margin was in successive 6-0 defeats against Brazil and France in 2013. The Australians have scored 14 goals and conceded six through nine qualifiers. After successive World Cup qualifications through the playoffs, Australia are close to securing a direct route but coach Tony Popovic is taking nothing for granted. 'We need to do a job in Saudi,' Popovic said. 'We're in a great position, but we need to finish it off.' Popovic has only been in the job since September, stepping in after Graham Arnold resigned after collecting just one point in the group's first two qualification games. 'It's been a really intense period since I've come in but everyone's embraced what we're aiming to do,' he said. 'And we're very close now to achieving our goal.'For China, Kuwait, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan and Bahrain, the run to 2026 is already over. UAE players take part in a training session in Bishkek on Monday, ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan.
The National
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The National
'The shirt is more important': Cosmin Olaroiu says indiscipline 'betrays' national team after bans for UAE duo
Cosmin Olaroiu, the UAE coach, says the severe punishments given to Khalid Al Dhanhani and Sultan Adil show indiscipline will not be tolerated. On Sunday, the UAE FA announced the two players had been stood down from the national team's trip to Bishkek for Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan. They were also banned for five domestic matches, and fined a massive Dh500,000 each. The circumstances surrounding the decision remain undisclosed, other than that it was a 'violation' of discipline that occurred in the national team camp on Saturday. Speaking ahead of the Kyrgyzstan game on Monday evening, Olaroiu did not clarify what had happened, but he said any misconduct 'betrays' the national team. 'It is always disappointing to have to make this kind of a decision, but when the players come to play for the national team, they have to understand it is not about themselves,' Olaroiu said. 'I told them before the first game: this shirt that we wear is more than ourselves. We are carrying the responsibility for a million people. 'Not for the club, not for our families. We are carrying it for a million people. There doesn't exist any compromise, or any situation where we can do things in a different way.' Olaroiu is likely to have felt personally let down by the controversy. He is in his first two weeks in the role of national team coach, and there had been a groundswell of optimism that greeted his arrival. That was dulled slightly by the goalless draw with Uzbekistan on Thursday which ruled the UAE out of automatic qualification for the World Cup. But they still have a chance to make it, via a week-long, three-team group to be played in October. The winners of that will also qualify. The issue of the banned players has complicated the new coach's plans, and the identity of the duo is a surprise. As a target man centre forward, Adil has been highly impressive in his young international career to date – at least when injuries have allowed him to get on the field. And Al Dhanhani has already thrived under Olaroiu's management. He was the first choice right back in the Sharjah side which was highly successful under the Romanian in recent seasons. 'Discipline is the basis for success in anything, not only in football,' Olaroiu said. 'We need to start from here to build a future for this team, and create a group and create a family. 'When you take a different action, you betray your colleagues and your family, and we have to take a decision that shows it. 'Things are very serious in the national team, and behaviour is one of the main targets for the players when they come with the national team. 'Now I think everyone understands things should be serious, and that this is not about yourself. It is something bigger than us, and we need to think about this.' As Olaroiu spoke in the press conference in a spartan room at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in the Kyrgyz capital, Caio Canedo was alongside him, and nodded along in agreement. The Al Wasl striker has been a squad regular in the national team's bid to make the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico next year. He said the players understand the responsibility they have when they are selected to represent the country. 'Despite the fact we have already qualified for the play-offs, we face this match with a lot of responsibilities,' Canedo said. 'Every time we defend the colours of our country we know the responsibility that we carry. It is an opportunity for the players to show they deserve to be in this squad. 'We know we are going to have a difficult, physical game, and our idea is to finish this group stage with a victory so we can carry on with confidence into the next round.' Although the game in Bishkek is meaningless in terms of qualifying – the UAE are already confirmed for the next round, while the hosts cannot make it – Olaroiu has high expectations of his players. 'Because the game is not important to qualification for the World Cup, we are going to see the character of the players, and the level of concentration with the game not being so extremely important,' Olaroiu said. 'They need to know that when they are playing for the national team, it is a totally different perspective. 'Step by step we need to improve the way we play, our determination, our spirit. Everything needs to be improved and this game gives us the possibility to get one step in front. This is what I want to see from the players. 'After the first game [against Uzbekistan] I expect there to be another big improvement in all aspects. It is an opportunity for all the players.'
Khaleej Times
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
UAE football clubs support ban, fine on football players after behavioural violation
Two major UAE football clubs released their statements after their players were suspended, excluded from the national team and fined on June 8 by the country's football association. The UAE Football Association on Sunday suspended two players — Sharjah Club player Khalid Al Dhanhani and Shabab Al Ahli Club player Sultan Adel — and fined them both Dh500,000 each. As per the statement, the two players were penalised due to the violations committed by them inside the national team camp on June 7. Both the clubs issued official statements, supporting the temporary ban imposed on the players, which bars them from playing five matches in local competitions. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Sharjah Club said it had "closely reviewed" the statement issued by the authority regarding the suspension of Khalid Al-Zanahani, his exclusion from the national team squad, and the imposition of a fine. The club stated that it had "initiated the necessary disciplinary procedures against the player in accordance with the club's internal regulations, reflecting its commitment to the principles of discipline and responsibility". "The club regrets the occurrence of such conduct during the national team training camp and emphasises that representing the country is a great honour that requires all players to maintain professional behavior and full discipline. "Furthermore, the club reiterates its continued support for the national teams and affirms its dedication to preparing its players to be role models both on and off the field, in a manner that reflects the honorable image of Emirati football," it concluded. Shabab Al Ahli Club, on the other hand, "strongly" rejected and condemned the behaviour of its player Sultan Adel and said it had taken the necessary disciplinary action against him in accordance with its internal regulations. Calling players "ambassadors of the nation", the club emphasised that it was their responsibility to reflect a respectable image through their adherence to values, discipline, and sportsmanship. It also reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to supporting national teams and upholding the name of the UAE in regional and international arenas. Previous incidents The UAE maintains strict laws when it comes to hosting sporting games and other events. In May, Dubai-based football clubs Al Wasl and Shabab Al Ahli were fined a total of Dh150,000 following events that unfolded during the Adnoc Pro League match. The fans of both the clubs insulted each other, and threw liquid bottles onto the pitch and at the opposing team's fans. Al Wasl fans also a smoke bomb.
Gulf Today
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
UAE suspend two footballers for 5 matches, fine them Dhs500,000 each
During its meeting on Sunday, the disciplinary committee of the UAE Football Association (UAEFA) decided to suspend Sharjah Football Club players Khalid Al Dhanhani and Shabab Al Ahli player Sultan Adel for five matches in local competitions, to fine them Dhs500,000 each and to exclude them from the senior national team roster. The decision, which is in line with the list of penalties and sanctions for national teams, came after the two players had committed a violation inside the team's camp on June 7, 2025.
