Through civil war, disease and famine, the reality of the Yemeni crisis has dominated the news headlines over the last five years. Throughout it all, the meagre sideshow of football gives a small distraction to those in the country, qualifying for their first Asian Cup in their nation’s history. While expectations of achieving anything on the pitch in the UAE start from a very low point, Yemen's success story amidst adversity is one to be celebrated across the whole continent.
It’s regrettably becoming a theme in Asian football, but that of countries going above and beyond their expectation under extreme hardship is a common occurrence. Alongside Iraq’s underdog Asian Cup triumph in 2007 and Syria’s run to near World Cup qualification last year, Yemen’s passage to January’s continental showpiece whilst experiencing national conflict will go down as one of the more incredible feats in recent footballing history.
While everyday life occurs in pockets amongst the fighting of civil war, football is quite necessarily and severely on the back burner, with the national league having to suspend since the conflict began. While Yemen has players displaced across the region playing professional football, a regular route throughout qualification for those home-based players left at home, was to travel by boat and armoured vehicles, through check points and across boarders to Qatar, to take up their adopted home-from-home in Doha.
In Qatar, there was solace, a starting block to build a sort of progress upon. Yemen started their qualification campaign earlier than most set to play in the UAE, way back in March 2015, with a 3-1 victory at their make do home against Pakistan. The long arduous journey to the Asian Cup that followed, which experienced its fair share of on the pitch scares, heavy defeats and nervy wobbles, was emblematic of the country’s struggles over this time. A period in which they will always have their monumental qualification to savour from.
The turning point came via the appointment of Abraham Mebratu, who gave life to a campaign, which had initially saw them lose seven of their eight first stage matches. The Ethiopian coach had already achieved plenty with the Yemeni youth ranks and had been tasked with overseeing the progress of national football as a whole, as technical director at the YFA, was rushed in to save the seniors going into the final round of Asian Cup qualification.
Somehow, given the imbalance of the squad, the results that preceded his reign and the constraints the team had to deal with, Mebratu led Yemen to an unbeaten final stage, including draws against Philippines and an unbeaten record against an impressively attacking Tajikistan. It wasn’t the most dominant of phases, drawing more than they'd won, yet the unimaginable was achieved, using a core of players that had something to fight for.
Going into the Asian Cup, the true state of the team is a relative unknown. Yemen played only their first matches since qualification in November, selecting a broadly U23 squad, with several unfamiliar faces. Without a domestic league to fully run the rule over new squad inclusions, the trip to neighbouring Saudi Arabia and UAE in the last month has undoubtedly proven useful in their modest preparation period.
While progress has been achieved on the pitch, the ongoing conflict has seen Yemen live merely off the handouts of its neighbours, ironically the same nations who to this day are heavily involved in the conflict. With Asian football, politics is regularly intertwined, and the struggles to organise any sort of preparatory friendlies or training camps has been balanced hand-in-hand with the ongoing civil unrest.
So much so, when Mebratu announced his resignation upon qualification, observers couldn’t have blamed him. With a lack of resources, continuity nor a solid foundation on which to prepare, the chance to jump ship back home to Ethiopia was an obvious alternative. His replacement, Slovak Jan Kocian, who was only sworn in in October, couldn’t have been left in a more tenuous position, given the lack of domestic action to survey and regular internationals to dissect, the fact the manager doesn’t reside in the nation is going to further disperse the preparation.
What he has got however, is willing talent, that come January has very little to lose on the pitch. Much of the squad has been brought through together from the U23 ranks that Mebratu put together over the last five years. Their brightest of which, attacking duo Abdulwasea Al-Matari and youngster Ahmed Al-Sarori have secured regular playing time abroad, Al-Sarori most bizarrely in Brazil of all places, whilst their defensive record, but for poor results, has been relatively strong of late.
While Yemen have only recorded two wins over the last two and half years of play, Kocian can grasp to solid enough friendly performances in November, and a decent unbeaten streak of four draws that occurred at the latter end of last year. Counting on the experience of skipper and keeper Mohammed Ayash, one of only a couple of players within the squad over 30, this campaign could prove more than being an ending of a historic four years, rather a start of something to rally support behind going forward.
When it comes to stability, this Yemeni side couldn’t be further a distant from the country it represents. While they prepare for daunting tasks against Iran, Iraq and Vietnam in the group phase, chances of securing any points might be sender, yet they’ll for sure be a tough nut to crack. With much more to play for than mere points, the Yemen national team have already succeeded in shedding light onto the grave plight of their homeland that continues to this day.
Key Men
Head Coach - Jan Kocian (SVK)
Slovak coach, who was appointed Yemen head coach only in October, after nearly half a year without a manager. Having most recently coached in Poland, Kocian has experience in Asia, managing Jiangsu Sainty in China and South China in Hong Kong, while also coaching his home national side over a decade ago. Left with a mountain to climb, he lives permanently outside the country on the lead up to the Asian Cup.
Star Player - Abdulwasea Al-Matari
Top marksman in qualification, scoring key goals in both their passages through the playoff rounds. A wide left midfielder, who tends to cut inside and shoot from distance, his link up play with teammates blooded through the youth generation by previous coach Abraham Mebratu has been their most successful route to success of late. His winning penalty against Nepal sealed qualification in March.
Cult Hero - Aiman Al-Hagri
One of the more well-known faces of Yemeni football, Al-Hagri has been a regular feature on the national scene since he was an 18-year-old, some seven years ago. Has bounced around Asia in search of regular football, including spells with Tractor Sazi in Iran, Al-Riffa in Bahrain, and most recently for Shillong Lajong in India.
Young Starlet - Ahmed Al-Sarori
20-year-old wide man or lone front man who rose to prominence in early World Cup qualification, scoring both of Yemen’s early efforts, including the winner over the Philippines. Moved from his home nation to the Brazilian fourth tier, with Central Sport Club over the summer. A promising player, who’ll pose a threat to slower defences.
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