Qatar’s World Cup journey faced an early setback but head coach remains optimistic, saying the race is long enough to recover.

Qatar’s hopes of a strong start to their FIFA 2026 World Cup campaign were dented when the UAE came from behind to stun the hosts 3-1 at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Doha’s Al Rayyan.

Head coach Bartolome Marquez Lopez’s team dominated for most of the match and took the lead through 18-year-old midfielder Ibrahim Al-Hassan. However, they conceded three goals in the final thirty minutes, despite their earlier control.

Marquez Lopez’s trust in the young player paid off in the 38th minute when Al-Hassan, arriving late in the box, converted Akram Afif’s cutback into a goal at the bottom corner.

“Ibrahim really shone today,” Marquez Lopez said of the midfielder. “We decided to choose the players who were the best, regardless of their age and that will be the case in the future.” 

Qatar’s high-octane start that saw them dominate possession and create frequent chances in the first half was marred by UAE’s Harib Abdallah’s equaliser in the 68th minute. 

The 21-year-old midfielder opened his body to finish at the far post after sending two defenders – including Qatar’s Lucas Mendes – the other way. 

Abdallah said his coach’s strategy and tweaks in the second had made the goal possible. 

“It will be one of the most memorable moments of my career,” he said after the win. 

It then started pouring for the home side and Mendes, who had an excellent game till then. In front of the 33,952 supporters, Khaeld Ibrahim walked past the gaping Qatari midfield to beat Meshaal Barsham on goal to make it 2-1 with barely anyone coming to close him down.

“We lost control and they started advancing,” Qatar’s coach said of the instance. “We lost two balls and those ended up costing us two goals – that happens in football.” 

Ali Saleh Amro’s 94th-minute strike off the bench all but sealed crucial three points. Travelling fans had started celebrating long before and the Oles from the home end moved to the opposite stands. 

UAE registered seven shots compared to Qatar’s four in the second half. The first half’s tally read four shots to two against Paulo Bento’s UAE. 

“We were in control in the first half defensively, but we tweaked the way we pressed in the second half,” Bento said about his side’s improved approach. 

The Portuguese had put confidence in his side’s abilities ahead of the match, claiming it was possible to beat Qatar if things played out to his plans. 

Bento, however, warned that it is too soon to celebrate despite the UAE’s first victory over their Maroon rivals in nearly nine years.

“It is a tougher job ahead,” he said, stressing the need to keep their performances at the top level. “It is the beginning of a long race.”

For Marquez Lopez and Qatar, this perspective is somewhat reassuring. As the first of ten qualifying matches, he remains optimistic.

“There will be more chances,” the Qatar head coach said. 

The match, which began with a Tifo celebrating Qatar’s star duo, Afif and Almoez Ali, saw the UAE defence largely contain them. The home side’s only goal came from a combination of their efforts, but it was otherwise a forgettable game for Afif, Qatar’s captain, by his own high standards.

“Akram cannot always perform and I disagree that he was absent,” Marquez Lopez said of Afif when asked if he lacked passion on the night.   

“Mistakes always happen but it’s necessary to keep trying,” he added. 

Marquez Lopez’s side travels to Vietnam to next week where they hope to triumph over North Korea.