UAE’s Comeback Victory Over Qatar Thrills Coach Paulo Bento

Al Rayyan: Paulo Bento, the head coach of the United Arab Emirates, praised his team’s resilience after they fought back from a goal down to defeat Qatar 3-1 in their AFC Asian Qualifiers Group A encounter on Thursday.

Trailing 1-0 after Ibrahim Al Hassan’s opener, Bento made a crucial tactical adjustment in the second half, directing his players to exploit central areas rather than relying on the flanks. This shift paid off, as Harib Abdalla, Khaled Aldhanhani, and Ali Saleh all found the back of the net, securing three vital points for the UAE.

“We are happy to achieve our first win, and this result will motivate us for the upcoming matches,” Bento stated. He commended his players’ efforts, particularly their dominant second-half performance, which saw them overturn the deficit and control the game.

On the other side, Qatar’s head coach Marquez Lopez expressed disappointment over the result but remained optimistic about their chances in the qualifiers. “We did not capitalize on our early lead, but we have nine more matches to bounce back,” Lopez said.

Qatar will face DPR Korea in their next match, while UAE look to build on their momentum.