UAE Team Manager Reveals Reasons for Cancellation of Saudi Arabia Match in Arab Cup
Ismail Rashid explains reasons for cancellation of UAE vs Saudi Arabia match due to bad weather and player safety.
SUMMARY
UAE team manager Ismail Rashid revealed the reasons for canceling the Saudi Arabia match in the Arab Cup due to bad weather and the unsuitability of the pitch, confirming that player safety was the priority, and that the coaches of both teams refused to continue the match for fear of injuries. He also pointed out player fatigue due to previous matches.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Match canceled due to bad weather and pitch unsuitability.
- Coaches of both teams refused to continue the match to protect player safety.
- Ismail Rashid apologizes to UAE fans for the final result in the tournament.
- Player fatigue due to playing 120 minutes against Algeria in the quarter-finals.
CORE SUBJECT
Cancellation of UAE vs Saudi Arabia match in Arab Cup due to weather conditions
Ismail Rashid, the manager of the UAE national team, revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the decision to cancel the match due to bad weather conditions and the unsuitability of the pitch, emphasizing that player safety was the most important factor in making the decision.
Rashid said in televised statements: "The organizers and the match referee gave us about an hour and a half, and after the rainfall increased, we were given an additional 20 minutes, after which it was decided to cancel the match due to the unsuitability of the pitch."
He explained that the coaches of both teams refused to have the players return to complete the match, fearing injuries, adding: "The most important thing for us is the safety of the players, especially since the Saudi team has the World Cup tournament in just six months."
Rashid pointed out that the UAE team includes a large number of professional players contracted with their clubs, noting that most of them participate in Asian and Gulf external tournaments, in addition to local participations during the current season.
Ismail Rashid addressed a message to the UAE fans, saying: "We apologize to our fans for the final result in our Arab journey, the players worked hard, and the fans did not fall short with us from the beginning of the tournament until its end, but this is football."
Rashid concluded his statements by saying: "Everyone worked hard and did not fall short, and we wished to be in the final, but there were circumstances we faced, and we are not looking to make excuses, including playing 120 minutes against Algeria in the quarter-finals, which caused player fatigue before facing Morocco in the semi-finals."
KEYWORDS
MENTIONED ENTITIES 6
Ismail Rashid
👤 Person_MaleManager of the UAE national team
UAE national team
🏛️ OrganizationFootball team of the United Arab Emirates
Saudi national team
🏛️ OrganizationFootball team of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Arab Cup
EventArab football tournament
Algeria
📍 Location_CountryCountry in North Africa
Morocco
📍 Location_CountryCountry in North Africa
NOTABLE QUOTES 4
"The organizers and the match referee gave us about an hour and a half, and after the rainfall increased, we were given an additional 20 minutes, after which it was decided to cancel the match due to the unsuitability of the pitch."
Context: Televised statements about the match cancellation
"The most important thing for us is the safety of the players, especially since the Saudi team has the World Cup tournament in just six months."
Context: Explanation of reasons for refusing to continue the match
"We apologize to our fans for the final result in our Arab journey, the players worked hard, and the fans did not fall short with us from the beginning of the tournament until its end, but this is football."
Context: Message to UAE fans
"Everyone worked hard and did not fall short, and we wished to be in the final, but there were circumstances we faced, and we are not looking to make excuses, including playing 120 minutes against Algeria in the quarter-finals, which caused player fatigue before facing Morocco in the semi-finals."
Context: Explanation of team circumstances in the tournament