Al Rayyan: Qatar endured a nightmare start to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers as the United Arab Emirates rallied to beat the Asian champions 3-1 in their opening match this evening, September 5. 

Marquez Lopez’s Qatar had started as favourites in front of home fans at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium with a dominant recent record over their neighbours, and they looked set to claim full points after the first half.  

But Paulo Bento’s men turned the tide in the second half of an absorbing clash leaving most of the 34,000 spectators at the iconic venue disappointed. 

UAE’s players celebrate during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers football match between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on September 5, 2024. (Photo by Karim Jaafar / AFP)

Lopez’s surprise inclusion Ibrahim Al Hassan had put the hosts ahead with a clinical shot in 38th minute for his maiden international goal as Qatar headed for a break enjoying around 75 percent of ball possession over the visitors. 
   
The home side perhaps paid for complacency in the second half with an unmarked Harib Abdalla Suhail scoring the equaliser in 68th minute. Khaled Ebraheim took Bento’s side ahead with 10 minutes remaining and after Qatar were denied a penalty by VAR, Ali Saleh put the game to bed in fourth minute of stoppage time. 

Qatar will next meet North Korea in Group A on September 10.