North Korea's midfielder Ri Il-song battles for possession with UAE's defender Khaled Ibrahim during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on October 10, 2024. — AFP
Paulo Bento's UAE aims to break their winless streak when The Whites face Kyrgyzstan in a pivotal Fifa World Cup qualifier at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday (8 pm kick off UAE Time). With six points separating them from Group A leaders Iran and Uzbekistan, a loss would severely jeopardize UAE's chances of making a second appearance on the global stage. UAE started their campaign with a remarkable 3-1 victory over Qatar but have since struggled, with only a draw against North Korea to show for their efforts. Having lost 1-0 to both Iran and Uzbekistan, UAE has shown competitiveness but needs a win against Kyrgyzstan to stay in contention.
Kyrgyzstan, making their debut at this stage of Fifa World Cup qualifying, has also demonstrated competitiveness but lacks the decisive edge required at this level. Their 1-0 victory over North Korea on Matchday Four, however, has boosted their confidence, and they will arrive in Abu Dhabi with renewed hope of securing points.
Meanwhile, Qatar understands that a defeat against Uzbekistan in Doha on Thursday would be disastrous for their automatic qualification hopes. The two-time Asian champions are on four points, trailing leaders Iran and Uzbekistan by six points, with the qualifying campaign reaching its midpoint. Head coach Marquez Lopez expects a strong response from his team following their 4-1 loss to Iran on Matchday Four. Uzbekistan, however, presents a formidable challenge, having excelled in the AFC Asian Qualifiers with only Iran managing to take points from them so far.
Iran, on 10 points, leads the standings ahead of Uzbekistan on goal difference, both six points clear of UAE and Qatar after four matches. Seeking a fourth consecutive and seventh overall World Cup appearance, Iran's qualification campaign has been smooth. They will face North Korea in Lao National Stadium KM16, knowing that a win will likely secure their place in the World Cup. North Korea, with just two points, must win their remaining matches and hope for favorable results to keep their campaign alive.
Asia has eight direct slots for the next Fifa World Cup, a 48-team tournament. Eighteen teams are divided into three groups of six each in the third round of the Asian qualifiers. The UAE is in Group A with Qatar, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and North Korea. The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, with the third and fourth-placed teams competing in the six-team fourth round of qualifiers. The winners of each group in the fourth round will secure the last two direct slots for the World Cup, while the runners-up will face off in a playoff battle. The winner of the Asian playoff will then compete in an inter-confederation playoff tournament for the final two slots in the World Cup.
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