Asian champions gear up for tough UAE fight in Abu Dhabi
Back-to-back Asian champions Qatar are set for a blockbuster showdown with the UAE in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to 26 in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
The two teams, who revived their respective campaigns with wins on Thursday, will seek another three points to stay within sight of Iran and Uzbekistan in the race to seal the two automatic qualifying slots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Qatari players will be exuding confidence ahead of the crucial clash, especially as they garnered a much-needed 3-2 win over Uzbekistan, which helped revive their hopes.
While the win reignited Qatar’s campaign, they still face a tough path ahead as they reach the campaign’s halfway mark.
Qatar have seven points from five matches, and as many games remain. Lopez’s men trail group leaders Iran by six points and are three behind Uzbekistan.
Qatar are also behind the UAE on goal difference, while staying just ahead of Kyrgyzstan (3 points) and North Korea (2 points).
Lucas Mendes, who scored a last-minute winner against Uzbekistan, was determined about keeping Qatar’s World Cup hopes alive.
“We always say we want to fight to the end and believe in ourselves until the final moment. Now, we just have to keep collecting points. We’ve got a tough match against the UAE coming up, but we’re confident and will do our best to win and climb the qualifying table,” Mendes told FIFA.com.
Qatar will be hoping to avenge their 1-3 loss to the UAE at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in September, which ended their 11-match unbeaten run including a flawless title defence at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
Mohammed Muntari, who returned to action as a substitute against Uzbekistan after a lengthy injury layoff, echoed Mendes’ optimism.
“Our results dipped a little after the Asian Cup despite our hard work, but that’s football – you don’t always get what you deserve. We’re going to keep working hard and hopefully achieve better results. It’s time for Qatar to get back to our usual excellent form. We’ve a tough match ahead, but we’re giving it everything to secure a win,” Muntari was quoted as saying.
Qatar’s players held a light training session in Doha on Sunday before departing for Abu Dhabi. They will train at the Al Nahyan Stadium, the venue for the much-anticipated clash.
The UAE, having started their campaign with a stunning win over Qatar in their opening game, had to wait for long for their second win.
Head coach Paulo Bento hoped his team has turned the corner and can embark on a run that seals them automatic qualification to the global showpiece for 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 their 3-0 win against Kyrgyz Republic on Thursday.
“There’s 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. This isn’t 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,” said Bento.
---
Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.
Instagram - @qatarliving
X - @qatarliving
Facebook - Qatar Living
YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
