UAE drop points as they brace for fourth round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers

Khaleej Times

2 days ago

The UAE ended their third round campaign in the Asian World Cup qualifiers with a 1-1 draw against Kyrgyzstan at Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek on Tuesday.
It seemed the UAE would their campaign on a high, but Kyrgyzstan never-say-die attitude saw them grab a last-gasp equaliser.
Kyrgyzstan late salvo saw them end their campaign on eight points while Cosmin Olaroiu continues to wait for his first win as UAE head coach with his side finishing on 15 points.
With UAE's progress to the fourth round and Kyrgyzstan's elimination already decided going into the match, the game saw a cagey start before the visitors stole into the lead at the half hour mark.
Valerii Kichin was dispossessed by Luanzinho at the halfway line, with the UAE midfielder driving forward before laying the ball off for Harib Abdalla to strike home past the advancing Erzhan Tokotaev.
Kyrgyzstan emerged after the interval a different side as they looked to put more pressure on the UAE defence.
Ermek Kenzhenbaev's attempt from distance took multiple deflections and was easily claimed by Al Hosani before Joel Kojo set up Kimi Merk inside the box, only for the latter to crash his shot against a UAE defender.
With 10 minutes of regulation time remaining, Kojo had a close range header caught by Al Hosani but Kyrgyz Republic fought until the very end, eventually finding the equaliser through Kai Merk in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan ended their campaign with a commanding 3-0 win over Qatar on Tuesday.
Timur Kapadze's men, who have already booked their spot in their first Fifa World Cup Finals, finished with 21 points from 10 matches.
Qatar will have to navigate the fourth round, where two additional places at next year's global showpiece are up for grabs. The West Asians finished fourth in Group A with 13 points.
A slow first 20 minutes was highlighted by a half-hearted try by Qatar's Amro Syrag, a looping header by Uzbekistan's Husniddin Aliqulov and a run down the middle from his captain Eldor Shomurodov, who outran three defenders only to be dispossessed.
The game burst into life in the 28th minute when Azizbek Turgunboev evaded two tackles down the right and sent a screamer that rocked the underside of the bar and gave keeper Salah Zakaria no chance at all.
Zakaria and the Qatari defence were kept on their toes in the following minutes by the twin strikeforce of Shomurodov and Jaloliddin Masharipov, who combined to make three attempts at goal.
The custodian later kept his side in the match when he pulled off a fine save on the stroke of half time from Shomurodov down the right and then held on to a close-range effort by Abbosbek Fayzullaev five minutes into time added on.
The hosts started the second half with a fierce strike from Masharipov,, who sprinted down the left and curled his shot wide past the right post.
Qatar were constantly kept on the backfoot, with Zakaria making yet another crucial save when he shielded Khojiakbar Alijonov's shot from the edge of the six-yard box in the 63rd minute.
Shomurodov scored their second in the 86th minute when he latched on to a long pass from Jamshid Iskanderov, controlled the ball with his right foot and unleashed a shot with his left that flew past an outstretched Zakaria.
Uzbekistan sealed the match in the second minute of stoppage time when Igor Sergeev, who had come on a minute earlier in place of Shomurodov, scored with a close range header. (With inputs from AFC)