The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to face Qatar in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. Despite a mixed bag of results in their qualifying campaign so far, the UAE still have a strong chance to advance from Group A, where they currently occupy the third position with seven points.
Qatar’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign has been a rollercoaster ride. While they secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Uzbekistan in their last match, their performance was far from convincing. After establishing a comfortable two-goal lead, Qatar allowed Uzbekistan to claw their way back into the game. It was only in the dying moments of the match that veteran defender Lucas Mendes scored a dramatic goal to salvage the win for Qatar. This goal marked a historic moment for Mendes, as it was his first international goal for his adopted country.
The match at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium began with a slow pace, as both teams took their time to settle into the game.
The first real attacking threat came from Qatar, the two-time AFC Asian Cup champions. In the 15th minute, Akram Afif had a chance to score, but a timely interception by Khalifa Al Hammadi prevented him from tapping the ball into the net.
