“The hot weather affected the performance of both teams but this should not be an excuse for our performance. We did not have a good match,” said Bento.

"The match did not go as planned, although we created scoring opportunities in the first half."

Bento admitted that UAE’s form took a dip against Bahrain but wants the team to learn from their shortcomings ahead of the next phase.

“Our performance dipped in the second half as we did not play well in the first 30 minutes. We lacked aggression and initiative. However, in the final 15 minutes we improved and our performance became balanced. I think it’s a fair result.

“The most important thing is what we must do in the next stage. We will analyse this performance, benefit from some of the good aspects, and correct the things we did not do well."

Meanwhile, Waleed Al Hayam believes Bahrain’s positive mindset is just what the team needed to  seal a spot in the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

"We are thankful for this achievement and I want to congratulate both teams for qualifying for the next stage,” said Al Hayam. “We are now at the end of the season and we will have a period of rest and then prepare in the best possible way for the next round of the FIFA World Cup 2026  qualifiers.

"I think that in August there will be a training camp for the national team before the start of the third round. Everyone, whether experienced or young players, aspires to achieve victories in order to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.”