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Fifa U-17 World Cup gala starts in UAE James Jose / 17 October 2013 Hosts hope for a victory against Honduras; Brazil meet Slovakia first in Fifa U-17 World Cup. ABU DHABI — Back in August, Shaikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Chairman for the General Authority of Youth and Sports had said that the tournament is a celebration of future stars. As a ball will be kicked in anger, over the next three weeks, 504 young guns will be hoping to show the world that they are the future. The Fifa Under-17 World Cup kicks-off at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. After the Opening Ceremony is done, it will be the perfect opportunity for the next generation of UAE football to give a glimpse that they are following in the footsteps of their more illustrious seniors. Shaikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan is also the Chairman of the Higher Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the tournament. The UAE are competing in the tournament for the first time and take on Honduras in a Group A fixture. But there is no lack of confidence. UAE captain Humaid Salmeen reckoned that they could all the way. That is the attitude that the UAE are going with. “We are looking to win the tournament. At the Under-17 level, there is nothing different between the teams,” Humaid Salmeen, said on the eve of the match. “All teams are the same. The only difference is how the players deal with the pressure. As young players, we are not used to the media and the big stadiums. But to be a successful player, you have to prepare yourself well and pass all the difficulties. We will try our best to achieve our ambitions,” he added. The UAE play the second game of the night after three-time winners Brazil meet Slovakia. The UAE’s meeting with Brazil on Sunday is the one that the fans have been waiting for. But the UAE coach Rashid Amir cautioned that they are not looking too far ahead. He said that getting a win against Honduras will be the key. Honduras will be making their third appearance in the competition but haven’t won a game so far or even earned a point. But Amir is treating it the same way as he would treat a game against Brazil. “The most difficult game in any tournament is the first match. Achieving results is going to be hard throughout the whole tournament. But Honduras have been training for this match for a long time. Everybody is talking about the Brazil vs UAE game, but the match against Honduras is the most difficult,” Amir said. Amir said that the squad have prepared well and are battle ready. “The squad has been preparing for more than a year. During that time, they have been training very hard. We had a good training camp and some tough friendly games in Spain. I think we have reached the level that we wanted. The squad is ready to give their best,” he said. The squad began their preparations 15 months ago in Turkey. The UAE left for Turkey in July 2012 before travelling to Saudi Arabia and Spain. They returned to the UAE in January 2013 and trained at home till July before travelling to Turkey again. They left for Malaysia before returing to the UAE in September. The UAE were back on the road again and were in Marbella, Spain from September to October, for their final stint.The UAE played a few friendly games against World Cup opponents from other groups and returned home unbeaten. They played Argentina, defending champions Mexico, Ivory Coast and Panama, whom they blanked 4-0. “Our results indicate that the team is on the right track as far our preparations for the World Cup finals are concerned. We have to maintain this standard and always show a fighting spirit on the pitch. That is how we will win at this tournament,” said Amir. The UAE will be without midfieler Ali Ghuloum, who picked up a knee injury during the friendly against Panama. Ghuloum will have to undergo a surgery. He was replaced by Omar Jumah. Meanwhile, in the opening fixture of the competition and of the night, heavyweights Brazil will be looking to lay the platform for a fourth title when they meet debutants Slovakia. Slovakia are playing as an independent nation for the first time. Brazil’s Gabriel will be the one to watch. The striker signed a contract with one of Brazil’s top clubs Santos, last month. KICK-OFFS (Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi): Brazil vs Slovakia, 5 p.m UAE vs Honduras, 8 p.m Continue reading →