UZBEKISTAN REACH FIRST-EVER WORLD CUP! ｜ UAE - Uzbekistan ｜ Highlights #AsianQualifiers - Road To 26
The United Arab Emirates and opponents Uzbekistan
continue to battle for an automatic qualification spot
at FIFA World Cup 2026 as they go head to head in Abu Dhabi.
Romanian coach Cosmin Olariu takes charge of the home team for the first time.
And with the UAE four points behind their visitors,
they must win to keep their automatic qualification hopes alive
down to the final match day.
Top scorer Fabio Lima will want to provide his usual goal threat on home turf.
For Timo Kapadze from Uzbekistan,
a point is all that stands between the team and history.
With a World Cup spot and a place at international football's top table
for the first time, agonisingly close.
Today could well be the day for the White Wolves to finally get over the line.
United Arab Emirates have the corner. Ali Saleh stands over it.
He's got Fabio Lima in the middle.
The main man in terms of goal threat
fires the volley on Sargip, but it's a simple save for Yusupov.
Kayo won the free kick.
Ali Saleh looks to be the one lining it up.
Ali Saleh has a go.
The Al-Basel player got the ball nicely past the wall,
but couldn't quite hit the target.
Half time, nil-nil.
Uzbekistan, as it stands, 45 minutes away from the World Cup.
Bright start to the second half here from the UAE.
Ali Saleh slipped it into the box for Luanzinho.
Yusupov had to be alert there just seconds after the restart.
Low shot smothered.
Uzbekistan coming forward now.
Space on the right-hand side for Ali Jonov.
Oh, nice work from Ali Jonov now.
Can he get the cross right?
He gets it into the middle.
Faizullah hits the crossbar and it's headed to safety.
That's the best move of the match by some margin,
and the young substitute had a massive chance
to make this position a lot safer early in the second half.
The header crashing back off the crossbar.
Lima's free kick high into the danger zone.
Pimenta steers it on target, but didn't have enough on it.
They're getting shots on goal, though, UAE.
And linking up nicely, the home side, 20 minutes to go.
Coming towards the edge of the area,
Al-Ghassani gets it back for Fabio Lima.
And that's an excellent stop.
Yusupov in goal had to react so quickly to get down and cover that.
And now suddenly, with the game still balanced at nil-nil,
the hosts are threatening to hit the front.
One final chance for the UAE, maybe, to deny Uzbekistan.
Meloni sends it in high.
Al-Ghassani on the turn, low shot on target.
It has been a nail-biting period of stoppage time, but now it's all over.
Uzbekistan will get the chance to prove themselves
with a first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance next summer.