Last-gasp goal helps UAE keep Fifa World Cup hopes alive
Sultan Adil's late goal kept UAE' hopes of automatic qualification alive after they secured a last-gasp 2-1 win against North Korea in their AFC World Cup qualifying Group A match on Tuesday.
The result moved the UAE to 13 points, four behind second-placed Uzbekistan with just two matches remaining.
Iran earlier booked their spot at next year's global showpiece after a 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan.
UAE seized the early control and went ahead after only five minutes with Fabio de Lima notching his 21st international goal.
Harib Abdalla played the ball behind North Korea's defence with Kim Yu Song's attempted clearance bouncing off goalkeeper Kang Ju Hyok to allow Lima to pounce on the rebound and knock home the opener.
Paulo Bento's side had North Korea pinned in their own half with Caio Fernandes going close in the 15th minute with a diving header that had Kang beaten but was just slightly off target.
The game turned midway through the first half with DPR Korea starting to ask questions of the UAE's defence, Pak Hwang Hun produced a towering header that was inches away from finding the target.
North Korea got themselves back on level pegging in the 43rd minute from a corner kick when Jong Hwi Nam's initial header crashed against the bar with Yu Song nodding the rebound home.
The second half was a more balanced affair albeit one where chances were few and far in between.
Bento and his counterpart, Sin Yong Nam both made changes to their respective sides but the game looked no closer to producing another goal.
There was finally some goalmouth action with 10 minutes left on the clock, Kang making back-to-back saves to stop Abdalla Ramadan's free-kick before catching Lucas Pimenta's overhead attempt.
With seconds left in the seventh minute of added time, UAE found the winner with Adil glancing home a header from Abdalla's cross to break North Korea hearts.
The UAE, on the other hand, reignited their hopes of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 1990.
Asia has eight direct slots for the next Fifa World Cup which will be a 48-team tournament.
Eighteen teams have been divided into three groups of six each in the third round of the Asian qualifiers.
The UAE have been drawn in Group A with Qatar, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea.
South Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait are competing in Group B while Group C features Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Indonesia.
The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup. The third and fourth-placed teams in each group will then compete in the six-team fourth round of qualifiers.
The six teams in the fourth round will be divided into two groups of three teams. The winners of each group will earn the last two direct slots for the World Cup, while the two runners-up teams will be locked in a playoff battle.
The winner of the Asian playoff will then advance to an inter-confederation playoff tournament featuring five other teams for the final two slots in the World Cup.
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