Mohammed Qassem, manager of the United team, confirmed that his team, currently playing in the First Division 'Amateurs', presented a strong and distinguished level against Al Ain in the semi-final of the President's Cup, held on Sunday. He pointed out that the encounter was highly competitive and decided by small margins, despite the great effort exerted by the players, especially when facing a large team like the Asian champion and one of the top teams in the Professional League. Al Ain overcame United with a 2-0 score after extra time in a match that witnessed strong competition between the two teams, where United managed to keep pace with Al Ain for most of the match and impose its rhythm at several times, ending the regular time with a goalless draw. Mohammed Qassem told 'Al-Ittihad': 'Small margins decided the semi-final match against Al Ain. We congratulate Al Ain. We must not forget that we were facing an Asian champion and the best team in the Professional League, the league leader, and the match against them was strong and required great focus throughout the match.' He added: 'To reach extra time against a team of Al Ain's size, I believe the team succeeded in achieving its goal and presenting itself well, especially since we faced a team with vast experience.' He indicated that the team presented itself in an excellent manner during the match, saying: 'People now know who United is, and the players presented a strong level and showed personality on the field against a big team. The match was highly competitive, but such matches are decided by small details, which is what happened in the end in favor of Al Ain.' Regarding the next stage, he said: 'All remaining matches in the First Division are finals for us, and there is no room for wasting points.' He added: 'We must strive more during the upcoming period, and focus more to achieve victory and win the three points. We hope to have a better presence in the next season, but at the moment, our focus is on the upcoming matches and working to continue victories and lead the league until we are promoted to the Professional League.'
