3 weeks ago
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Qatar qualified for the 2026 World Cup connected Tuesday aft they saw disconnected the United Arab Emirates 2-1 successful Doha.
The 2022 World Cup hosts, who did not marque it retired of the radical signifier 3 years agone successful their archetypal ever quality astatine the tournament, triumphed successful the must-win clash at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium acknowledgment to second-half goals from captain Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel.
Akram Afif, the two-time Asian Player of the Year, got some assists.
The triumph meant Qatar, winners of the past 2 Asian Cups, finished apical of Group A successful the 4th circular of Asian qualification and truthful booked their spot successful adjacent summer’s finals successful the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The UAE, who needed lone a gully to advancement to a 2nd World Cup successful their history, volition adjacent period conscionable the loser of the Group B decider betwixt Saudi Arabia and Iraq successful a two-legged tie, with the victor going into an intercontinental playoff.
The Saudis big Iraq successful Jeddah aboriginal connected Tuesday wherever the erstwhile besides necessitate lone a gully to advance.
It was Qatar, coached by erstwhile Spain, Real Madrid and West Ham brag Julen Lopetegui, who created the archetypal accidental of the clash with the UAE, Sultan Al Brake forcing a fine, close-range prevention from Khalid Essa as Ayoub Al Ouwi flashed the rebound wide.
Not agelong after, UAE defender Lucas Pimenta headed inches wide from a Caio Lucas cross.
At the different end, Mohammad Al Mannai headed disconnected people from Edmilson Junior’s superb transverse from the right. Completely unmarked, the Belgian-born guardant should person scored.
However, Qatar were celebrating 4 minutes into the 2nd half, when Khoukhi met Afif’s in-swinging free-kick to caput past Essa.
The hosts past doubled their pb successful the 74th minute from yet different set-piece, this clip Essa misjudging an Afif free-kick to permission Pedro Miguel to caput into the bare nett astatine the backmost post.
Late on, Qatar had Tarek Salman sent disconnected for a studs-up tackle, before, successful the eighth infinitesimal of injury-time, UAE substitute Sultan Adil reduced the shortage with a good volley.
Qatar, who made unwelcome past successful 2022 by becoming the archetypal World Cup hosts to suffer each 3 radical games, saw retired the lucifer to instrumentality their spot connected merit astatine the 2026 edition.
The station Qatar clasp connected to bushed UAE, suffice for 2026 World Cup appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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