After the opening match of the final phase of Asian qualifying, one thing has not changed for the UAE. They know that two wins from their games against Oman, on Saturday, and Qatar, on Tuesday, in Doha, will guarantee them a place at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
But they could also go through by different means after the other two sides in the group shared a 0-0 draw in Al Sadd on Wednesday evening.
The result opens up a permutation where the national team can draw one of their matches and still advance to the World Cup, so long as they win their other game.
Whatever the mathematics behind it, Cosmin Olaroiu, the UAE manager, will have gleaned plenty of information from the first match of the Qualifier play-off.
Lopetegui the Bold
Julen Lopetegui is famously no respecter of institutions. He was, after all, the coach who was booted out of the Spain national team job while at the World Cup in Russia, after negotiating a deal to manage Real Madrid behind their backs.
Even with that in mind, the Qatar manager’s decision to substitute Akram Afif – the player with the biggest reputation in their ranks – with 77 minutes on the clock against Oman was a bold one.
With the game, and potentially World Cup qualification on the line, Lopetegui opted to withdraw Qatar’s talisman and one of Asian football’s great attacking forces.
The forward traipsed dejectedly to the dugout and Qatar came no closer to scoring without him on the field.
Wasteful Afif
But maybe the manager was correct to remove Afif, anyway. After all, he had been remarkably wasteful by his own high standards.
The 28-year-old forward, who was Asia’s Player of the Year in 2023, knows the way to goal. Particularly on this turf, where he plays his club football for Al Sadd.
Oman’s resistance seemed certain to break when Afif jinked through their defence in the 49th minute. He had the goal at his mercy. And promptly shot wide.
The crowd was stunned. The bench was stunned. Even Afif, the most expressive of players, wore a look of shock. Qatar were increasingly desperate thereafter.
Why is Al Haydos there?
Hassan Al Haydos is an authentic legend for club and country. The No 10 is winding down his career now with Al Sadd, but he is still much loved.
When the players are announced ahead of his club matches, and he is often among the substitutes these days, even his teammates stop their warmups to applaud. That is usually met with a beaming grin by Al Haydos.
The 34-year-old forward announced his retirement from international football a year ago, but had been around the scene for much of the time since, mainly for moral support.
Then in July he reversed his decision, and started training with the national team again. He was part of the squad for the game against Oman, yet went curiously unused.
Qatar needed some nous to pick a hole in Oman’s massed ranks at the back. Al Haydos seemed like the perfect option. Lopetegui clearly thought differently.
Queiroz is fired up
Carlos Queiroz was in typically spiky mood ahead of the play-off. He said Qatar would not have been in this position if he was still in charge. They would be qualified for the World Cup already.
Make no mistake: the Portuguese coach regards this week as a revenge mission for his dismissal by Qatar in 2023. He signed a contract with them to see them through to the 2026 World Cup, only to be binned after 10 matches.
He has only been with Oman since July, but is evidently invested in the project. From the look of their endeavour in the opening game, his players believe in him, too.
Oman had just a 29 per cent share of possession against Qatar. They might have lacked the ball, but they did not lack courage.
Find a way past Al Rashidi
The defiance was led by Thani Al Rashidi, who was heroic at the heart of Oman’s defence. He was named player of the match for the job he did shackling Qatar’s forward line.
Olaroiu must figure out how best to get past Al Rashidi when the UAE line up against Oman at the weekend, whether it be by stealth or brawn.
Given the resources in the UAE’s 27-man squad in Doha, they are capable of doing either, whether it be via the trickery of Caio Lucas, or the power of Sultan Adil.
Potentially it could be both, at separate points in the game, and it seems unlikely either will play a full 90 minutes.
Lucas is on his way back from injury, while Adil missed five games at the start of the season through suspension for indiscipline while on national duty.
