Qatar revived their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with a thrilling 3-2 victory over in-form Uzbekistan in Doha. Lucas Mendes scored the decisive blow deep into stoppage time, ensuring the two-time Asian champions kept their dream of qualifying for the World Cup on merit alive after debuting as hosts in 2022. Before this crucial win, Qatar, coached by Marquez Lopez, found themselves struggling in Group A with just four points from four matches. They trailed leaders Iran and Uzbekistan by six points, leaving their campaign hanging by a thread. Thursday’s triumph, however, narrowed the gap with Uzbekistan, although Iran maintained their dominance with a win over North Korea extending their tally to 13 points. Qatar displayed remarkable determination overcoming a spirited Uzbekistan side that leveled the scores late in the second half through two quick goals by Abbosbek Fayzullaev. Earlier, Almoez Ali had provided Qatar with a commanding first-half brace. Mendes’ last-gasp strike, his first goal for the national team, sealed a much-needed victory. Lopez praised his team’s resilience, saying the importance of securing all three points to fuel their momentum. Mendes echoed the sentiment vowing that the team will fight until the very end to secure their World Cup berth. With the qualifiers now at the halfway stage, Qatar face an uphill battle. To keep their hopes alive, Al Annabi must aim for victories in all their remaining matches. Their next challenge is a high-stakes clash against the United Arab Emirates, who are level on four points but ahead on goal difference. A win on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi is critical for Qatar to climb the standings but it won’t come easy. The UAE defeated Qatar in Doha earlier in the campaign and a special performance will be needed to reverse that result on their turf. The World Cup qualifiers will take a break after this week’s matches and will resume in March next year. Qatar, in the meantime, will feature in the Arabian Gulf Cup set to take place from December 21, 2024 to January 3, 2025. They will face hosts Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Oman in Group A. For now, though, their focus remains firmly on the UAE clash where a positive result could be pivotal for their World Cup ambitions. While the top two teams in the group secure automatic World Cup berths, the third and fourth-placed sides will advance to the next qualifying round. Qatar’s closest brush with qualification came ahead of the 1998 World Cup falling short to Saudi Arabia. Success this time would mark a historic achievement bringing immense pride to the nation.
