The UAE National Futsal Team defeated the Maldives 3-1 on Saturday, in the opening match of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2017, held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan from 21st to 27th September.

The UAE is participating in the games with 68 athletes in seven events.

It was not an easy win against the Maldives, as the opening match saw the UAE take on an unknown team that surprised everyone with their fast style of play. The Maldives scored first to take the lead, but the UAE team took control of the match and applied pressure to score the equaliser, finishing the first half tied at 1-1.

The second half was different, as the UAE team was dominant. Imran Mohammed’s goal gave the UAE the upper hand, and the Maldives never recovered after conceding this goal. The UAE sealed their victory with a goal by Hamad Alshamsi. The win has placed the UAE in the second position behind Afghanistan, who scored six goals against China. The UAE will face Uzbekistan this evening.

"We played well in the first half and improved gradually in the second. The opening match is usually tough, as athletes feel their nerves, but we managed to take control as the match progressed. The match against Uzbekistan will be more difficult, because the Uzbeks are the favourites. The final score remains uncertain, but I am sure that we will play better and with less tension," said Markus Surato, Coach of the UAE National Team.

"We will take it step by step, match by match. We will play Uzbekistan next, the best team in the group. We have also seen the Afghan team today. They have fast players, and so do China, but it was a good start today, given that our team has not participated in any competitions for over two years. Playing in the local league is much easier, because we know the teams and the players very well. But, internationally-speaking, teams have different styles of play," Surato added.

The UAE flag was hoisted yesterday at the Sports Village in the presence of Hasan Abdullah Al Adhab Al Zarouni, UAE Ambassador to Turkmenistan, and Brigadier Abdul Malik Jani, Deputy Head of the UAE Delegation at the Asian Games.

Ambassador Al Zarouni exchanged commemorative shields and souvenirs with the manager of the Sports Village after the conclusion of the flag-raising ceremony.