Ask any Emirati football fan which player holds the key to Gulf Cup success for the national team and you are likely to get one answer. Yet, as Omar Abdulrahman continues his recovery from injury, there is an opportunity for a new hero to emerge.
One player from the UAE squad for next month’s tournament in Saudi Arabia, announced on Sunday, stands out. Al Jazira forward Ali Mabkhout is hitting top form at just the right time.
It is a comforting thought for UAE manager Mahdi Ali. Mabkhout has been his most trusted finisher over the last year, and domestically, he is excelling in a rejuvenated team.
This season he has already scored five times in seven Arabian Gulf League matches, the most by an Emirati player. He had scored seven in the entire 2013/14 league campaign.
In Jazira’s last league outing, he plundered two goals in a 3-2 win over Al Ain at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, and he scored in the previous week’s 4-2 loss at champions Al Ahli, too.
Tonight at Kalba, in the last match before the AGL goes on a break for a month due to the Gulf Cup, Mabkhout will aim to continue his fine goal-scoring form before the UAE squad heads to Saudi Arabia on tomorrow night.
Mabkhout has formed a partnership with summer signing Mirko Vucinic and the Montenegrin international has topped the league’s goalscoring charts with 10 goals, which included four in a dramatic 4-3 win over Al Ain.
Between them, Mabkhout and Vucinic have scored 15 of Al Jazira’s 16 league goals, the best total by any AGL team this term.
Mahdi Ali could be the real beneficiary of his fine form so early in the season. The UAE’s results have dipped significantly in 2014 after going the whole of 2013 undefeated.
One goal in five winless matches, culminating in 4-0 thrashing by Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi earlier this month that ended a three-year unbeaten run at home, has the team entering the Gulf Cup in far-from-ideal shape.
Mabkhout aside, it is hard to see where the goals are going to come from. The midfield, in Abdulrahman’s absence, has lacked any goal threat. Ahmed Khalil, Mabkhout’s striking partner, is going through one of his frequent non-productive phases, and captain Ismail Matar has yet to recover fully from injuries.
The goal-scoring burden looks to be squarely on Mabkhout’s shoulders and it’s a challenge he has accepted in the past.
He has yet to score for his country this season, however.
The friendly match against Lebanon at Dammam on November 6 will be a chance for Mabkhout and his fellow strikers to get back on track before the UAE’s opening fixture against Oman on November 14.
With the dearth of striking options, Mabkhout’s importance to the national team is greater than ever.
akhaled@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
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Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
Age 26
Born May 17, 1991
Height 1.80 metres
Birthplace Sydney, Australia
Residence Eastbourne, England
Plays Right-handed
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$5,761,870 (Dh21,162,343.75)
Wins / losses 312 / 181
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