The UAE national team head coach Mahdi Ali has announced a 25-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Japan on March 23 and Australia on March 28.
As expected, the key players from Al Ahli and Al Ain are all included, with 8 players named in the final squad, although Majed Hassan is absent due to an injury.
The 33-year-old Ismail Matar, who has won 114 cap, was recalled while his teammates Mohammed Abdullah and the 19-year-old Mohammed Al Hammadi will be disappointed not to receive call-ups following impressive campaigns for Al-Wahda.
Here is the full UAE squad:
Goalkeepers: Majed Nasser (Al Ahli), Khaled Eissa (Al Ain), Ali Khaseif (Al Jazira)
Defenders: Fares Jumaa, Mohammed Fawzi (Al Jazira); Abdulaziz Haikal, Abdulaziz Sanqour, Walid Abbas (Al Ahli); Ismail Ahmed, Mohanad Salem (Al Ain); Hamdan Al Kamali (Al Wahda).
Midfielders: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira); Khamis Ismaeel, Habib Al Fardan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Al Ahli); Ahmed Barman, Amer Abdulrahman, Mohamed Abdulrahman, Omar Abdulrahman (Al Ain); Tariq Ahmed (Al Nasr); Hassan Ibrahim (Al Shabab).
Forwards: Ahmed Khalil (Al Ahli), Ali Mabkhout (Al Jazira), Salem Saleh (Al Nasr), Ismail Matar (Al Wahda).