UAE Rallies To Defeat Qatar 3-1 At FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers

The United Arab Emirates staged an impressive comeback to defeat Qatar 3-1 in their AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 Group A match at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Thursday. The game began with both teams struggling to find their rhythm.

Qatar, the two-time AFC Asian Cup champions, had the first significant attack in the 15th minute. Khalifa Al Hammadi made a crucial interception to prevent Akram Afif from scoring. Shortly after, Afif delivered a perfect cross to Jassem Gaber, who missed a close-range header.

Qatar increased their pressure and finally broke the deadlock in the 38th minute. Afif found Ibrahim Al Hassan, who beat Yahia Nader and fired an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner.

The second half started with both teams neutralising each other, and neither goalkeeper was tested. However, UAE came close just after the hour mark when Abdulla Hamad's powerful shot hit the side netting.

UAE's confidence grew, leading to an equaliser in the 68th minute. Harib Abdalla found space in the box and unleashed a powerful shot past Qatar’s goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham.

Decisive Moments

The turnaround was completed for UAE in the 80th minute. Full-back Khaled Aldhanhani intercepted a pass, surged forward, received a return from Harib, and struck a shot into the top corner.

Late drama ensued when referee Shaun Evans awarded Qatar a penalty for handball against Nader. However, after a VAR check, the decision was overturned, nullifying Qatar’s chance to equalise.

Sealing the Victory

In stoppage time, substitute Ali Saleh capitalised on a defensive error to score UAE’s third goal. His shot into the roof of the net sealed a memorable win for the Emiratis.

This victory showcased UAE's resilience and ability to turn around challenging situations effectively.

With inputs from WAM