Saturday 11 / October / 2025
MUSCAT: United Arab Emirates (UAE) produced a remarkable turnaround to defeat Oman 2-1 in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers- Road to 26 Playoffs on Saturday.
Goals in the closing minutes of the match completed a comeback with the victory meaning UAE only have to avoid defeat against Qatar on Tuesday to book their ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2026 while Oman’s dreams were dashed as they ended their campaign with a single point.
UAE started with Fabio Lima and Caio Lucas leading the line, while Oman made two changes from Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Qatar with Al Rawahi and Harib Al Saadi startling.
Oman’s early pressure almost produced the opener in the sixth minute after Abdulrahman Al Mushaifri's challenge on UAE’s Abdalla Ramadan set Issam Al Sabhi through on goal but the Air Force Club forward’s attempt was denied by a timely intervention.
UAE, however, were left stunned in the 12th minute when Oman broke the deadlock after Amjad Al Harthi drilled home Majed Hassan’s cross, which took a wicked deflection off Kouame Kouadio before settling in the back of the net.
Cosmin Olaroiu’s UAE almost unlocked the Omani defence in the 21st minute when Lima’s lofted pass found Caio, who nodded the ball on for Nicolas Gimenez but the midfielder’s effort was parried by Oman keeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini.
A poor pass from Khalid Eisa almost gifted Oman their second eight minutes later when the keeper’s attempted chip was intercepted by Issam Al Sabhi, only for Eisa to recover quickly and reclaim the ball.
The Emiratis wasted their best chance just after the hour mark when Yahya Al Ghassani started a move on the left before ending his surging run down the centre by laying the ball for Gimenez, who dragged his effort wide.
Olaroiu had sent on Caio Canedo, Yahia Nader and Harib Abdalla at different stages in the second half and a long ball from Gimenez found Canedo, whose volley was saved by Al Mukhaini.
UAE thought they had a lifeline in the 70th minute when Thani Al Rushaidi looked to have brought down Ali Saleh inside the box with referee Alireza Faghani pointing to the spot but the decision was overturned following a VAR decision.
The Emiratis, however, found the equaliser six minutes later when Saleh whipped in a pin-point cross for Marcus Meloni to finish with a thumping header past Al Mukhaini.
Oman pushed forward but Eisa made a brilliant save to deny Al Mushaifri from close range in the 79th minute before UAE turned up the tempo to turn the match around four minutes later.
Caio struck a curling effort from distance which dipped at the right time and bounced past a sprawling Al Mukhaini into the bottom right corner.
Eisa then made a brilliant save when he got his fingertips to Zahir Al Aghbari’s shot from inside the box in the 89th minute as the UAE edged closer to a return to the FIFA World Cup, with their sole appearance coming in 1990.
