Qatar coach Marquez Lopez (left) and Akram Afif during a pre-match press conference yesterday.
Doha: Qatar head coach Marquez Lopez described his team’s last-minute victory over Uzbekistan as a major morale boost in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign but cautioned his players to stay vigilant against the United Arab Emirates in today’s high-stakes clash.
The neighbouring opponents will face off at Abu Dhabi’s Al Nahyan Stadium in a blockbuster Group A game, with both sides aiming for crucial points to bolster their qualifying prospects.
Qatar players in action during a training session on the eve of the match.
Qatar and the UAE are tied on seven points, trailing group leaders Iran by six and second-placed Uzbekistan by three. The UAE hold a slight advantage on goal difference having rallied for a 3-1 win over Al Annabi in their opening fixture in September.
Qatar’s campaign has been marred by missed opportunities to hold onto leads. After the UAE match, they surrendered a 2-2 draw to North Korea from a winning position and were overrun 4-1 by Iran after taking an early lead.
Against Uzbekistan on Thursday in Doha, Qatar let a two-goal cushion slip as Almoez Ali’s first-half brace was neutralised by two quick second-half strikes. It took a last-minute goal from Lucas Mendes to seal the dramatic victory.
Lopez stressed the necessity of staying fully focused during this phase of the qualifiers.
“We need to maintain 100 percent focus to secure victory,” Lopez said at a pre-match press conference yesterday.
“The win against Uzbekistan was a huge morale boost for us and will help in the crucial match against the UAE. Rising in the standings is very important for us.”
While expecting another tough challenge from the UAE, the Spaniard was confident in his side’s ability to reverse the result of their previous meeting.
“The UAE are an excellent team, but tomorrow’s match will be different from our previous match. We had limited preparation time but we are physically ready for the challenge,” Lopez added.
Qatar playmaker Akram Afif said the team will go all out for a victory.
Qatar's Meshaal Barsham tries to stop a ball during a training session.
“Our complete focus is on securing a win, which is pivotal for our qualifying campaign. Collecting three points is crucial and we will give our all to achieve the goal,” Afif said.
With strong support from Al Annabi fans expected at the stadium, Afif said, “the fans mean a lot to us, as they provide immense motivation. We promise to do our best to make them proud and happy.”
Meanwhile, the UAE revived their qualifying hopes with a 3-0 victory over Kyrgyzstan on Thursday after struggling in their campaign following their opening win over Qatar.
UAE coach Paulo Bento downplayed the significance of his side’s earlier victory over Qatar focusing instead on the task at hand.
“Qatar are a tough side with quality and experienced players. They’ve won two Asian Cup titles and also competed in the World Cup. It’s going to be a difficult match,” Bento said.
“Each match is different, and this one won’t be the same as our last meeting. It’s difficult to replicate results in football but we must draw lessons from the previous match and other games to craft a winning strategy.”
UAE defender Khaled Al Dhanhani was banking on the home support in the crucial match.
“This match is important for both teams. We are determined to secure three points in front of our home fans, whose support provides a massive morale boost,” he said.
The match is set to kick off at 7pm (Qatar time).
While the top two teams from each group will earn automatic qualification spots for the World Cup, teams claiming third and fourth positions will feature in the next phase of Asian qualifiers for the global football showpiece.
