Qatar and Saudi Arabia qualify for 2026 World Cup / Photo: Karim JAAFAR - AFP
Qatar and Saudi Arabia qualify for 2026 World Cup
Qatar and Saudi Arabia became the latest teams to book their spots at the 2026 World Cup, with each finishing top of their respective groups on Tuesday in the fourth round of Asian qualifying.
In Group A, Qatar saw off the United Arab Emirates 2-1 in their must-win clash in Doha, where second-half goals from captain Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel sealed the 2022 hosts's place at next summer's finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Then, later in Jeddah, the Saudis came through a goalless draw at home to Iraq to book a berth at the 2026 showpiece.
In qualifying on merit for a first World Cup, Qatar went some way to atoning for three years ago, when they entered the history books as the first hosts to lose all three group games.
Against the UAE on Tuesday, the winners of the past two Asian Cups took the lead four minutes into the second half at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium where Khoukhi headed home Akram Afif's in-swinging free-kick.
On 74 minutes, the hosts doubled their lead, this time Pedro Miguel making the most of a mistake by UAE goalkeeper Khalid Essa to nod into the empty net.
Coached by former Spain, Real Madrid and West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui, Qatar had to survive Tarek Salman's sending-off late on for a studs-up tackle, while the UAE were provided a lifeline from substitute Sultan Adil's volley eight minutes into injury-time.
To their credit, though, Qatar held on to take their place at a first World Cup on foreign soil.
In Group B, Saudi Arabia made it through to a third successive finals by avoiding defeat to Iraq at their King Abdullah Sports City.
The 2034 hosts, who recorded a stunning victory against eventual winners Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, needed only a draw to seal a berth at a seventh showpiece event.
Herve Renard's side could have had taken the lead two minutes into the second half, but Lens full-back Saud Abdulhamid sent his effort over the Iraq crossbar with the goal at his mercy.
Moments later, Al Ahli midfielder Saleh Abu Al Shamat forced a fine save from range from Jalal Hassan, while the Iraq goalkeeper soon thwarted both Saudi captain Salem Al Dawsari and namesake Nasser Al Dawsari.
It took a save from goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi deep into injury-time to ignite celebrations among the 60,000-plus crowd in Jeddah, but Saudi had done it.
Iraq, last participants in 1986, remain in the hunt for the World Cup: next month, they contest a two-legged tie against the UAE, with the winner then going into an intercontinental playoff.
A.Fischer--MP
