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France 24
05-06-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Uzbekistan qualify for World Cup for first time
Uzbekistan, one of the fastest-rising national teams in Asia, kept their hosts at bay in the Emirati capital to seal the second automatic spot in Group A and make history. Iran, who take on Qatar later on Thursday, have already secured their place in next year's tournament in North America. The UAE, who had Cosmin Olaroiu taking charge for the first time having last month replaced Paulo Bento as manager, must now contest a further round of qualifying. The top two teams in each of the three Asian groups go straight to the World Cup, while those finishing third and fourth enter a fourth round of qualifiers. Jordan are on the verge of joining Uzbekistan at a first World Cup courtesy of a superb 3-0 victory against Oman in Muscat. Ali Olwan scored all three goals to send the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up to the top of the group. They now lead second-placed South Korea on goal difference, with the perennial World Cup qualifiers still to play third-placed Iraq on Thursday. Jordan welcome Iraq to Amman in five days' time in the third round's final set of fixtures. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia defeated Bahrain 2-0 in Riffa to tee up a showdown with Australia for the second automatic spot in Group C. Australia dramatic late winner With Australia snatching a last-minute victory against already qualified Japan earlier, Herve Renard's men had to win to push the race for second to Tuesday. The Saudis got off to the perfect start, when on 16 minutes rising star Musab Al Juwayr met captain Salem Al Dawsari's pinpoint cross to the back post to volley home. The visitors then survived a few nervy moments in the second half before Abdulrahman Al Obud made safe the result 12 minutes from time with a goal on the counter. The win keeps Saudi third, three points behind Australia, although with a far inferior goal difference. Only a huge victory for the Gulf side in Jeddah would see them leapfrog the Socceroos. Australia remain in pole position following their last-gasp win against group leaders Japan in Perth. Defender Aziz Behich was the home hero in front of more than 57,000 fans, rifling into the corner in the 90th minute to give Tony Popovic's side a crucial 1-0 victory. "We know there's room to grow and room to improve, but we've done something special tonight," said Popovic, who saw his team outplayed for long periods by an experimental Japan side. The former international, who replaced Graham Arnold in the dugout in September, added: "We've all played a part in getting us to this point. We want to go to Saudi Arabia and really finish the job off." Also in Group C, Patrick Kluivert's Indonesia kept alive their hopes of reaching a first World Cup since the country's independence in 1945 with a 1-0 win over China. That leaves Indonesia fourth in the group, one point behind Saudi Arabia. Ole Romeny scored the only goal, his controversial penalty just before half time following a VAR check leaving China rooted to the bottom of the group and thus ending their hopes of making a second World Cup.
The National
04-06-2025
- General
- The National
History beckons for UAE as Cosmin Olaroiu arrives with World Cup qualification teasingly close
In a region where football fans are so highly skilled at tifos, the one Sharjah's fans made to see off their coach in his last match was pleasingly rudimentary. Not for them the elaborate choreographies of the giant Saudi Arabian clubs, or even their UAE Pro League counterparts – and visitors on the last day of the season – Al Wasl. Instead, they went for the tried and trusted option of some black emulsion on a big white sheet. It was the thought that counted, though, and the language used. ' Ai parasit echipa, dar alintrat in istorie,' Sharjah's fans had written, using the manager's mother tongue of Romanian. Translated, it means: You left the team but you made history. He certainly did that. Cosmin Olaroiu capped a trophy laden stint at the club by taking them to the AFC Champions League Two title in Singapore in May. That made them just the second club from the UAE – after two-time Champions League winners Al Ain – to lift a major continental title. A little over two weeks later, Olaroiu is on the brink of history again, and he has not even taken charge of his new side yet. Once the powers-that-be had decided to dismiss Paulo Bento as coach of the UAE national team back in March, there only ever felt like one viable option. Bento's side had just kept alive their chances of automatic World Cup qualification at the very last in Riyadh. But Sultan Adil's late, late stoppage time winner over North Korea still failed to save the Portuguese coach's job. The following morning, it was announced he was gone, despite there just being two matches left in this phase of Asian qualifying. The UAE trail second-placed Uzbekistan, who they face at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, by four points, with six still to play for. Win, and they would need to better whatever result the Uzbeks achieve at home to Qatar on Tuesday when they face Kyrgyzstan at the same time to qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup. Clearly, the odds are against the national team. Given the situation they are in, the next man in after Bento needed to be the ultimate alpha. All of which meant it could only be Olaroiu. The hard-faced, no nonsense, serial winner believes it can be done. Which means everyone else must, too. 'They have to,' Olaroiu said. 'They have to be positive, and they have to believe. If you don't believe, you don't have any chance. 'Now we have this new journey, and when we go there everybody in this team should believe in it. They should believe they can make the dream of this nation come true. 'I think it is one of the countries of the world with one of the biggest improvements and developments in the last [few] years. We should keep pace also in football. This is our mission.' The can-do attitude marks quite the contrast to the final throes of the Bento regime. Back in March, it felt as though the former Portugal manager had been fighting vainly for appreciation, after a downturn in performances. 'We hope to have a different atmosphere in June because I think that is a good way to show the country supports the team with acts and not just words,' Bento said after the win against North Korea, just hours before he was officially axed. Now June has arrived, and the atmosphere is entirely different. The UAE FA have flooded their social media feeds with upbeat slogans. They have hired advertising space on billboards on major roads and in shopping malls. All the domestic clubs have joined the mission with goodwill gestures. And, with it being the Eid holiday weekend, Thursday is likely to be frenzied at the Al Nahyan Stadium. Olaroiu, for his part, has had less than two weeks with his new charges. It means if he is to bring about success immediately, he will have to rely more on the power of personality than granular planning. He may know the six-man cohort of Sharjah players in the squad the best, but his expertise is not limited to them. Olaroiu has brought trophies to three UAE clubs in the past: Al Ain, Shabab Al Ahli and Sharjah. 'It is not about only Sharjah players, it is about all the players,' Olaroiu said. 'They are players who have value and players who have quality. I think they will come with the hope and belief they can do it.' Olaroiu has been recruited on a two-year contract. The national team are guaranteed a place in October's six-team repechage tournament, which for sides who miss out on a top two place in this phase of Asian qualifying. One significant feature of his successes at domestic level was the tight bond he created with his players. A notable example of that came in the aftermath of Sharjah's 2-1 win over Lion City Sailors in the Champions League Two final in Singapore. While his players celebrated, Olaroiu tenderly looked after the two young sons of Caio Lucas, the striker who will likely be his talisman at national team level, too. Whether Olaroiu can strike up such a deep affection with his new players and their families when – because of the nature of the job – he sees them so much less remains to be seen. But Lucas is optimistic it can be done. 'We have to be like a family,' Lucas said. 'It doesn't matter how, but we have to do our best inside the pitch to make our fans happy. 'Whenever we go inside the pitch it is to win, and this will be no different. When we speak about the national team, the coach [has] the best players in the league. 'I think we have a chance to qualify and we are going there to do our best and make our fans happy.'
The National
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Sharjah train ahead of AFC Champions League Two final
Since Cosmin Olaroiu was confirmed as the replacement for Paulo Bento as UAE coach, Sharjah's form has dipped. They have won just once, and lost their past five matches.
Asharq Al-Awsat
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
UAE Appoint Romanian Olaroiu to Replace Bento as Head Coach
Cosmin Olaroiu has been appointed United Arab Emirates head coach, the country's FA announced on Saturday. The 55-year-old Romanian takes over from Portuguese Paulo Bento. The UAE are third in Group A of the preliminaries for the 2026 finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The first two finishers in each of Asia's three groups progress automatically to the World Cup while the third- and fourth-placed teams advance to another round, Reuters reported. Iran have already claimed one of the two berths available from Group A while second-placed Uzbekistan are four points clear of the UAE with two matches remaining. Olaroiu has spent the last three-and-a-half seasons with UAE club Sharjah, and last week guided the team into the final of the AFC Champions League Two.
Observer
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Observer
UAE sack Paulo Bento despite win over North Korea
ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates football association fired coach Paulo Bento on Wednesday, despite the team keeping their hopes alive of qualifying automatically for the 2026 World Cup by edging North Korea 2-1. "The UAE Football Association has decided to dismiss the head coach of the national team, Paulo Bento, along with his coaching staff," the association said. "A replacement is expected to be named soon to lead the team in the Group A 2026 World Cup qualifiers and other official competitions," it added. His replacement will coach the team in the two final matches of the World Cup qualifiers against second-placed Uzbekistan on June 5 and second from bottom Kyrgyzstan on June 10. A win over Uzbekistan would reignite their hopes of reaching the finals. They are four points adrift of the Uzbeks, who are seeking to reach football's quadrennial showpiece for the first time. Bento, 55, was appointed to his position in July 2023, but has overseen a series of inconsistent results in the qualifiers, including a 2-0 loss to Iran in Tehran last Thursday. The former Portugal and South Korea head coach faced further criticism after his team only beat North Korea in the eighth minute of injury time on Tuesday. The UAE are third in the group with 13 points — table-topping Iran qualified on Tuesday. The top two qualify directly for the World Cup, with teams finishing third and fourth in the three Asian groups entering a further round of qualifying. — AFP
