UAE coach: Vietnam is the strongest rival in Group G

Head coach of UAE national football team Bert van Marwijk rates Vietnam the strongest team in Group G of World Cup 2022 qualifiers.

What is your assessment on head coach Park Hang-seo and team Vietnam?

- Coach Van Marwijk: We have prepared well for the match against Vietnam. I know everything about Coach Park Hang-seo. I did not analyzed the Vietnam-UAE match in 2007.

UAE team respects all competitors in the same group. I personally think Vietnam is the strongest rival in Group G. We will do our utmost for  tomorrow match.

Which tactics do you plan to apply for the match against Vietnam ?

- Coach Van Marwijk: I am very impressed with the Vietnamese team's performance, which is very diverse and unpredictable. We have sent people to scout and analyze the Vietnamese paying style.

- Why did you choose Thailand as a training venue before the match? How does the absence of striker Ali Mabkhout affect the UAE team?

- Coach Van Marwijk: We have prepared well in Thailand. We chose Thailand because Thailand is very close to Vietnam and has similar weather conditions and time zones. I cant do anything about Ali Mabkhout’s absence, because he's suspended.

- UAE player: My teammates and I have studied the Vietnam team carefully. We will try to obtain the best results. I think Vietnam and the UAE have similar climate patterns, so the weather doesn't affect us much.

In the big battle against Vietnam, coach Bert van Marwijk will not have the strongest lineup, as No. 1 striker Ali Mabkhout is suspended for receiving two yellow cards. The Dutch strategist let his players train in Thailand for several days before travelling to Vietnam at  November 12 night for the November 14 match.

UAE media said the match results in My Dinh will directly affect the future of coach Bert van Marwijk. The 24.ae wrote: "Mr. Van Marwijk was aware that the match against Vietnam would determine his fate, because any bad results at My Dinh Stadium will make the Dutch strategist dismissed ".

In Group G of the 2022 World Cup Qualifier, Vietnam is temporarily ranked second behind Thailand with both earning 7 points. The UAE team is third with 6 points.

Vietnam will host the UAE at 8PM on November 14.

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