An expert in goalkeeping and coach of Ras Al Khaimah club, Iraqi Nemat Abbas, has named UAE national team goalkeeper Hamad Al-Maqbali as the star of the first round of the Arab Cup, currently being held in Qatar. Despite the national team's loss in its opening match against Jordan, Al-Maqbali performed well under difficult circumstances, including playing with ten men and facing a strong Jordanian attack. Abbas told "Al-Ittihad": "Al-Maqbali shares the top spot with Palestine's goalkeeper, Rami Hamada. They stand out among other outstanding goalkeepers whose teams won, but they were technically less effective. This includes Syria's goalkeeper, Shaker Al-Shaker, and Jordan's goalkeeper, Yazeed Abu Laila. However, given the difficult circumstances of the UAE's match against Jordan (1-2) and Palestine's match against Qatar (1-0), Al-Maqbali and Hamada are considered the best in the first round." He added: "Al-Maqbali is not to blame for the two goals conceded to Jordan. The responsibility lies with the defense, which allowed Jordanian forwards to enter the penalty area and earn a penalty, as well as score the second goal." Abbas emphasized that "Al-Maqbali's continued excellence could help the UAE team's chances in the upcoming matches against Egypt and Kuwait." He also pointed out that "he was extremely calm, excellent with his feet, and had a high ability to communicate with his teammates, despite the sensitivity of playing his first official match for the national team." Abbas explained: "Based on the number of saves by each goalkeeper and their direct impact on the result, Syria's goalkeeper, Shaker Al-Shaker, was key in Syria's victory over Tunisia. Jordan's goalkeeper, Yazeed Abu Laila, who also made crucial saves, especially in the second half, and Palestine's goalkeeper, Rami Hamada, in the match against Qatar, also deserve mention."
