KUALA LUMPUR: United Arab Emirates coach Paulo Bento credited meticulous preparation for his side's emphatic 5-0 victory over Qatar in Tuesday's World Cup Asian Group A qualifier.
Fabio Lima was the star of the show, netting four goals, including a first-half hat-trick, as the UAE moved into third place, keeping Iran and Uzbekistan within reach.
"We prepared well to face Qatar, knowing they have a strong team with exceptional players and a high-level coach," Bento told the Asian Football Confederation today.
"We considered every possible scenario since predicting their strategy was challenging.
"We succeeded in capitalising on our chances and scored goals – something we struggled with in the match against Uzbekistan, despite performing well.
The defeat dropped Asian Cup champions Qatar to fourth in Group A, leaving coach Marquez Lopez to rue tactical missteps and individual mistakes.
"UAE earned a deserved victory, and I congratulate them," said Lopez.
"Our plan relied on a defensive approach and counterattacks, but Lima's early goal disrupted our strategy, leading to numerous individual errors that cost us.
"Despite our attempts to regain control, we couldn't find the opportunity to make a comeback.
"Our team were not fatigued; the issue lay in our tactical planning and execution. Individual mistakes led to the goals we conceded, and both the team and I, as coach, were not at our best.
"By the 80th minute, with the score at five in favour of UAE, it was evident that further attempts were futile.
"We were aware of the UAE's strategy to exploit individual errors, and they executed it well, showing strength in their offensive game," added Lopez, with Qatar needing a win when they play North Korea in March.