'The boys gave everything': Arruabarrena praises UAE players after World Cup play-off loss

UAE manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena praised his players for their commitment in attempting to reach the 2022 World Cup following their play-off defeat to Australia in Qatar on Tuesday night.

The national team, bidding to become only the second Emirati side to make a global finals, were beaten 2-1 by Australia at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium. Ajdin Hrustic’s deflected goal six minutes from time sealed victory for Australia, who now face Peru once more in Al Rayyan on Monday for a World Cup berth.

On Tuesday, the UAE had rebounded quickly from Jackson Irvine’s 53-minute opener through Caio Canedo’s strike four minutes later. However, Hrustic struck the winner late on, when his powerful volley was deflected into the UAE goal by midfielder Ali Salmeen.

The result means the UAE must wait another four years for a second World Cup appearance. The country’s solitary participation at football’s lead tournament came in 1990.

“The boys gave everything,” Arruabarrena said on Tuesday. “They have showed great professionalism during the past two weeks within the training camp and in the match tonight.

“This is the end of a chapter and we have to think about the future. We have a lot of young players and we need to keep improving and working hard.”

Appointed in February as successor to Bert van Marwijk, Arruabarrena was taking charge of only his third official match with the UAE. The Argentine, whose contract runs through until next year’s Asian Cup, was asked after Tuesday's loss if he expected to be criticised for the UAE’s inability to get past Australia.

“I’m the coach and I am accustomed to that, when the results don’t happen, there is criticism,” Arruabarrena said. “That is the life of any coach anywhere in the world.

UAE manager