Abu Dhabi: The international friendly match between the UAE and reigning Asian champions Iraq now has a charitable angle to it, following an announcement from Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and President of the UAE Red Crescent, that proceeds from the match will be donated to cancer-stricken Iraqi children.
Shaikh Hamdan ordered entry for the match will be free and he will pay the expected revenue from ticket sales to the UAE Football Association (FA) for it to be donated to Iraq.
"It is one of the many noble deeds from Shaikh Hamdan, with the continuous support of the UAE government and the people of the UAE, towards our people in Iraq," Hussain Saeed, the president of the Iraqi FA, told a press conference at the UAE FA premises here yesterday. It was attended by Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi, UAE FA chairman.
"UAE has always been supporting us in all fields of life. The Iraqi people will never forget these kind and noble deeds from their brothers in the UAE, especially the reception hosted by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and his honouring of the Iraqi team after winning the Asian Cup," Saeed added.
Match shifted
Regarding today's match, Al Rumaithi said it had been shifted from Bani Yas Stadium to Hamdan Stadium in Al Wahda Club to make it easier for the supporters of both teams to attend it.
"This match is very important to us in our quest to prepare the UAE for the qualifiers. Meeting the reigning Asian Cup holders means the match will be of high technical standards and that our team will surely benefit from it, before the World Cup qualifier against Kuwait on February 6.
"We're not interested in the result, but we are looking to have better understanding within the team."
