Tribune News Network
Abu Dhabi
A determined Qatar will take on United Arab Emirates in another crucial clash when they face off in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers- Road to FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday at 7pm (Doha Time).
The Al Annabi have found the rhythm, they lacked earlier in the qualifiers, in a thrilling MatchDay Five battle against Uzbekistan on home turf and which they won 3-2 with a last-gasp winner from Lucas Mendes.
In contrast, UAE who began their campaign with a stunning win over Qatar in their opening game, had to wait till Matchday Five for their second victory.
Given the scenario, twice Asian champions Qatar would have the advantage and would be looking to drive home the point with a clinical win.
Both Qatar and UAE having revived their respective campaigns with wins last Thursday are seeking another three points to stay within sight of Iran and Uzbekistan in the race to seal the two automatic qualifying slots. While Iran are on top of the group with 13 points, Uzbekistan are on 10 points. Qatar and UAE both have 7 points each. Kyrgyzstan (3pts) and North Korea (2) complete the group.
While the top two finishers in each group qualify automatically, the third and fourth placed teams will advance to a playoff where another two berths will be at stake.
Speaking on eve of the match, Qatar skipper and AFC Player of the Year Akram Afif said his team is focused on the campaign and are looking to deliver their best
""Our complete focus is on securing a win, which is pivotal for our qualifying campaign. Collecting three points is crucial, and we will give our all to achieve the goal, said Afif.
"The fans mean a lot to us, as they provide immense motivation. We promise to do our best to make them proud and happy,” he added.
Qatar’s Spanish coach Marquez Lopez said his team’s win over Uzbekistan has acted as a morale-booster. "The win against Uzbekistan was a huge morale boost for us and will help in the crucial match against the UAE. Rising in the standings is very important for us.
"We had limited preparation time, but we are physically ready for the challenge,” said Lopez.
He added: "The UAE are an excellent team, but tomorrow’s match will be different from our previous encounter. We controlled the game in the first half but conceded goals in the second half due to counter-attacks. Maintaining 100 percent focus will be key to securing victory.”
Meanwhile, UAE’s head coach Paulo Bento will hope his team have turned the corner and can embark on a run that seals them automatic qualification to the global showpiece for just the second time in their history.
"We don’t have to think too much of the upcoming game against Qatar, but it’s important we rest now, allow the players to recover as much as possible, then begin our preparations,” Bento said after the 3-0 win against Kyrgyzstan on Thursday.
"There is more than one way to reach the World Cup and we need to try as much as we can to go all the way to be there,” said Bento, who previously guided his native Portugal and South Korea at the Finals.
"This is not the best time to just spend too much energy thinking about the World Cup and the game against Qatar but of course, on the pitch they need to be able to take all those decisions.
"Qatar are a tough side with quality and experienced players. They’ve won two Asian Cup titles and also competed in the World Cup. It’s going to be a difficult match.
"This is an important game for us. We succeeded in winning the away fixture against Qatar and now aim to deliver our best performance and earn the desired result. We trust in our capabilities.
"Each match is different, and this one won’t be the same as our last meeting. It’s difficult to replicate results in football, but we must draw lessons from the previous match and other games to craft a winning strategy.”
UAE right-back Khaled Al Dhanhani, said, "The match is vital for both teams. We are determined to secure three points in front of our home fans, whose support provides a massive morale boost.”
Against Uzbekistan, Mendes’ goal deep into added time secured Qatar a 3-2 win and coach Lopez will hope the thrilling win will steer his side past UAE, who won the reverse fixture 3-1 in September.
Seeking to qualify for the FIFA World Cup on merit for the first time, back-to-back AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar have found the AFC Asian Qualifiers difficult to navigate but Lopez believes Thursday’s win will motivate his squad against a UAE side who have won five of their previous eight meetings.