We will fight in Basra for a World Cup ticket

The national team player, Lucas Pimenta, confirmed that the “Whites” had not lost hope of qualifying for the “Global Playoff” of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, stressing that the team would fight to achieve victory over Iraq in the return match, tomorrow, at the Basra International Stadium.

Pimienta told Emirates Al-Youm that the UAE national team will play the match and has no other choice but to win, explaining: “We will play another 90 minutes after the two teams tied in the first leg with a goal each in Abu Dhabi, and the chances are equal, despite Iraq’s preference for playing the match on its home field and in front of its fans.”

He added: “We know that the match will witness a large crowd attending to support the Iraqi team, but in the end it is a match that brings together 11 players from the UAE team against the same number of players from the opposing team.”

He pointed to the strength of the Iraqi national team, and said: “The match will certainly not be easy, as we are playing against a strong competitor, and this was demonstrated in the match between the two teams in Abu Dhabi, but at the same time we are confident in our abilities, as the national team includes in its ranks players with great potential, and they have the ability to deal with the great enthusiasm with which the competitor will go into the match with the support of its fans.”

He added: “We wanted to achieve a better result in the first leg, as we did not perform well in the first half, while the performance improved in the second half and we created more than one chance, but we were not successful in achieving victory, and there is currently no room to think about the last match, and we must focus on the return match only, and give everything we have to achieve victory.”

He said: “We know from the beginning that the second match will be in Iraq, and this makes the task more difficult, but whoever wants to qualify must be prepared to play anywhere. The first match in Abu Dhabi ended in a draw, and there is a second match that will determine the identity of the team that qualifies for the next round.”

He talked about the responsibility placed on the players, and said: “Every player in the national team feels responsible. When you wear the national team shirt, you carry the dream of an entire country. I am proud to represent my country, and I am happy with the trust that the technical staff has given me. It is my duty to give everything I have on the field and to help the team achieve its goal.”

He continued: “Joining the national team is always a dream for any player, and I live this dream in all its details, whether in the beautiful or difficult moments. We are now in a stage that requires everyone’s cohesion, and we will fight until the end in order to qualify. We will try to play with confidence and present strong football befitting the name of the national team.”

He added: “The belief in our ability to qualify has not changed despite the difficulties, and we will make every effort to achieve a positive result against Iraq, because we know that winning this match will be a turning point on our way to the World Cup, and we must show our character on the field and prove that we deserve to be among the greats.”