Duts of Doa: UAE and Costa Rica Split Points in U-17 World Cup Opener

Match context

The opening round of Group 3 at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, currently staged in Qatar, finished with a 1-1 draw between the United Arab Emirates and Costa Rica, while Senegal and Croatia also played to a 0-0 stalemate, with each side earning a single point.

The UAE and Costa Rica share the lead on goal difference ahead of Senegal and Croatia, and the second round is scheduled for Thursday, with the UAE facing Croatia and Costa Rica taking on Senegal.

Key moments

The UAE opened the scoring in the 59th minute through Ma'id Adel, while Costa Rica equalized in the 62nd through Nick Bennett, in a match played at Stadium 8 in the Aspire Zone in Doha.

The draw is a setback for the UAE, since Costa Rica played the last 60 minutes with ten men after Ishaq Badilla was sent off in the 31st minute for a red card following a challenge on UAE forward Faisal Mohammed, denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Costa Rica defended stoutly, and the UAE failed to convert further, leaving the first half 0-0.

The UAE capitalized on their numerical advantage early in the second half, specifically in the 59th minute, when Ma'id Adel headed home from a corner; the goal was confirmed by video review due to a potential collision with the Costa Rican goalkeeper.

That goal served as a wake-up call for Costa Rica.

The UAE celebrated briefly, only for three minutes, before a cross by Yerlan Sousa caused chaos in the UAE area, and Nick Bennett fired home from inside the box to equalize, with the goal again confirmed by video review for contact with the UAE keeper.

Both sides pushed for a winner in the final minutes but could not find another, and the match ended in a positive opening draw. Costa Rica's Gabriel Sebaja was named Man of the Match.

The UAE's under-17s qualified for this World Cup after reaching the AFC U-17 Championship quarterfinals in Saudi Arabia; this appearance in Qatar is their fourth in World Cup history, and they hope to surpass their best finish by reaching the Round of 16 in 2009.

Costa Rica qualified by topping their CONCACAF qualifying group for the U-17 World Cup; this will be their 11th appearance at the tournament, with their best performances reaching the quarterfinals in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2015.

The UAE are led by head coach Majid Salem Al-Zaabi, who named a 21-man squad for the tournament after two recent friendlies against Mali and Bolivia, both ending 1-1.

The UAE squad includes goalkeeper Fahm Jassim Abdullah, Mubarak Al-Breiki, Saeed Al-Rashidi, defenders such as Fahd Khalil and Saleh Issam, midfielders like Abdullah Rashid, Faisal Mohammed, Mohammad Saleh, and attackers Ma'id Adel, Ali Al-Jasmi, Mohammed Al-Saadi and Mahmoud Badr.

The UAE will resume preparations on Tuesday for their clash with Croatia, with minimal time difference between matches and a focus on player recovery.

There was a sense of joy among the players after the opening game, as the team prepared through domestic camps in Thailand and Spain, and played several friendlies to boost readiness and test different formations and lineups.

Head coach Majid Al-Zaabi expressed happiness with the positive start, calling it a historic moment for every player and stressing the importance of discipline, fighting spirit, and teamwork.

He noted the staff has spent time building a clear identity for the squad, a mix of discipline, collective effort, and grit, which showed on the pitch against a tough Costa Rica side.

Costa Rica’s squad is built on physical strength and organized defense, and their performance in Doha reflected that strength.

Note: The UAE are keen to build on this start as they prepare for their next Group 3 match, while Costa Rica aim to maintain pressure in their pursuit of a deep run in the tournament.