World Cup Qualifiers: Japan Advances, UAE Struggles, Saudi Arabia’s Resilience
Japan has qualified for the 2026 World Cup, while the UAE’s hopes dim after a loss to Iran. Saudi Arabia stays competitive with Al Dawsari’s goal ensuring a win against China. Other notable struggles include Indonesia’s defeat by Australia and Iraq’s draw with Kuwait, illustrating the intense rivalry in the qualifying rounds.
The first team to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup, aside from the host nations, was determined on Thursday. While Japan’s qualification has been smooth, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are grappling with challenges in their respective qualifying campaigns. Recent drastic changes in the UAE team have raised expectations. The debuts of Brazilian imports Caio Lucas and Lucas Pimenta highlighted the team’s struggle, culminating in a disappointing 2-0 loss to Iran, which places their automatic qualification hopes in jeopardy.
The UAE now faces a daunting task, trailing Iran by nine points and Uzbekistan by six. Nevertheless, they have three matches left to turn their fortunes around, beginning with a must-win matchup against North Korea in Riyadh. In contrast, Saudi Arabia is maintaining their aspirations after a crucial 1-0 victory over China, thanks to Salem Al Dawsari’s goal. Despite facing formidable opponents such as Japan and Australia in upcoming matches, they remain only a point behind Australia in the group.
During the match against China, the Saudi team dealt with an injury to defender Ali Lajami, who received treatment for nearly ten minutes before being removed from the field. This incident momentarily shifted the game’s momentum, but Al Dawsari’s performance proved decisive for their victory. Saudi Arabia’s qualification efforts are somewhat mirrored by Indonesia’s approach, which has incorporated more players of European origin into their squad.
Indonesia’s recent meet with Australia saw them severely beaten 5-1 under new coach Patrick Kluivert, despite having substantial support from fans in Sydney. On the same day Japan booked their ticket to the World Cup by defeating Bahrain 2-0, FIFA President Gianni Infantino extended his congratulations, expressing pride in Japan’s achievement. Furthermore, remarks from Japan’s forward Daichi Kamada reflected the team’s relief at securing qualification, contrasting with Iraq’s struggle in their qualifying group where they recently squandered vital points in a 2-2 draw with Kuwait.
As teams gear up for the final rounds of qualification matches, the landscape of Asian football remains intensely competitive, with several nations still vying for a place in the World Cup.
In summary, Japan is the first nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while the UAE faces a critical juncture in their qualifying campaign following a disappointing loss to Iran. Conversely, Saudi Arabia remains hopeful with a victory over China, bolstered by Salem Al Dawsari. The competitive nature of these qualifiers is further illustrated by Indonesia’s recent match and Iraq’s struggle for points, emphasizing the high stakes involved as teams approach the final qualifying matches.
Original Source: www.thenationalnews.com
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