Cosmin: Our Qualification Well-Deserved, Coaching the White Team a Prestigious Honor

UAE's national football team secured their spot in the Arab Cup quarterfinals with a convincing 3-1 victory over Kuwait, finishing second in Group 3 with 4 points. The win comes as a boost for Romanian coach Ovidiu Hațegan, who has faced pressure following the team's failure to qualify for the World Cup after losing to Iraq in the playoffs.

The UAE advanced alongside Jordan, who topped the group with a perfect 9 points. Coach Hațegan expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, saying the qualification was well-deserved after his players delivered a strong showing against Kuwait.

"We deserved to come back and qualify. The players performed well today, so this is a deserved qualification for us," Hațegan said in post-match television comments. He also acknowledged Egypt's efforts, noting they played well but couldn't secure advancement.

The UAE had drawn 1-1 with Egypt in their previous group match, making today's result crucial for their tournament hopes. Hațegan emphasized the gradual progress his squad is making, despite recent disappointments.

"I have a good group of players and step by step we will deliver something better. This is football - yesterday we were sorry about the results, and today we're happy with what we achieved," the coach explained.

When asked about his future with the UAE national team, particularly after the World Cup qualification failure, Hațegan remained diplomatic. "I came to the UAE national team to help, and it's a great honor for me to be here. I respect this country, and I hope we will improve."

The quarterfinal qualification provides some relief for UAE football, which has struggled with consistency in recent international competitions. The team will now look to build on this momentum as they progress deeper into the Arab Cup tournament.