UAE's players celebrate after winning the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers football match between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on September 5, 2024. (Photo by Karim Jaafar / AFP)
Al Rayyan: Qatar endured a nightmare start to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers as the United Arab Emirates rallied to defeat the Asian champions 3-1 in their opening match this evening, September 5.
Asian giants Iran and Uzbekistan also won their respective matches to start their Group A campaigns with maximum points.
On the back of a dominant recent record over their neighbours, Marquez Lopez’s Qatar had started as favourites in front of home fans at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium and they looked set to claim full points at half-time.
But Paulo Bento’s men turned the tide in the second half of an absorbing clash ending Qatar’s 11-match unbeaten streak to leave most of the 34,000 spectators at the iconic venue disappointed.
Lopez’s surprise inclusion Ibrahim Al Hassan scored his maiden international goal to put the hosts ahead with a clinical shot in 38th minute as Qatar headed for a break enjoying around 75 percent of ball possession.
UAE's players celebrate during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers football match between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on September 5, 2024. (Photo by Karim Jaafar / AFP)
The home side perhaps paid for complacency as the UAE made a stunning comeback in the second half.
An unmarked Harib Abdalla Suhail scored the equaliser in 68th minute while Khaled Ebraheim took Bento’s side ahead with 10 minutes remaining. After Qatar were denied a penalty by VAR, substitute Ali Saleh put the game to bed in fourth minute of stoppage time.
The win was UAE’s first victory over Qatar since their 4-1 triumph in the AFC Asian Cup in 2015. The two sides will face off in the second leg on November 19.
“We started the game well but we committed mistakes in the second half. It was a tough match and UAE took advantage of individual errors to score three goals,” said Qatar defender Tarek Salman.
Qatar's forward #19 Almoez Ali is marked by UAE's defender #19 Khaled al-Dhanhani and UAE's defender #04 Kouame Kouadio during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers football match between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on September 5, 2024. (Photo by Karim Jaafar / AFP)
“Mistakes are part of game but we must rectify them and come back strongly. We apologise to our fans but we promise we will make a turnaround. It’s a long journey and we will spare no efforts to achieve our goal of qualifying for the World Cup,” he said.
Yesterday, Qatar were way ahead in possession but they were unable to create many chances after they started on a fiery note with Jaseem Jaber unsuccessfully attempting to score with an overhead hit following a first-minute corner.
Jaber was off target again when Akram Afif, who was earlier denied by Khalifa Al Hammadi with a late interception, spotted the Al Arabi midfielder with a brilliant cross at the half-hour mark.
But Al Rayyan’s 18-year-old attacking midfielder Ibrahim made no mistake from Afif assist’s, masterfully clearing a defender in the centre of the box before slotting the ball in the bottom left corner to send home fans into raptures.
The second half though belonged to the UAE who resumed with an attacking display as Abdulla Hamad gave Qatar a scare with a dangerous shot from outside the box that hit the side netting. Suhail, assisted by Yahia Nader, finally leveled the scores with a left-footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. The visitors then snatched the lead following a fast break with Ebraheim netting from just outside the box.
The home fans cheered referee’s decision of a spot kick after Yahia Nader’s challenge against substitute Abdulrahman Fahmi Moustafa with seven minutes left, but the joy was short lived as the decision was reversed following a VAR check.
With Qatar leaving their fences open desperately seeking an equaliser, Saleh sealed UAE’s win with a shot into the top left corner after a through ball from substitute Mackenzie Hunt.
Qatar will now look to bounce when they meet North Korea in their second match in Laos on Tuesday, the same day when UAE host Iran in Al Ain.
Meanwhile, Mehdi Taremi’s strike in 34th minute proved enough for hosts Iran to take three points against new-comers Kyrgyzstan in Fuladshahr, while Jaloliddin Masharipov struck in 20th minute as Uzbekistan defeated North Korea 1-0 in Tashkent.
