When Qatar arrived at Al Nayhan Stadium on Tuesday evening, head coach Marquez Lopez had drilled his tactical plan into his team ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifier against the UAE.
But just four minutes after the referee’s whistle, those plans were thrown into disarray when Fabio De Lima fired home, handing the Whites an early lead and sending the majority of the 13,825-strong crowd into raptures.
The UAE playmaker added two more goals before the break, completing his hat-trick with a stunning 25-yard free kick that flew past Meshal Barsham and into the top corner.
The No.10 got his fourth of the game shortly after the break, before Yahya Alghassani put the cherry on top of the cake with a fifth to cap off one of the most memorable victories in UAE football history.
The rout ensured Paulo Bento's men completed a double over their Gulf rivals this campaign, having previously triumphed 3-1 at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in September.
For Lopez, the result was a bitter pill to swallow.
The crushing defeat, just five days after a dramatic last-minute win over second-placed Uzbekistan that had reinvigorated their campaign, left him reflecting on his team's struggles.
“The UAE team earned a deserved victory, and I congratulate them,” said Lopez.
“Our plan relied on a defensive approach and counterattacks, but Fabio Lima's early goal disrupted our strategy, leading to numerous individual errors that cost us.
"Despite our attempts to regain control, we couldn’t find the opportunity to make a comeback."
While Qatar’s gameplan unravelled within minutes, Bento’s strategy unfolded to perfection.
The Portuguese manager revealed that his team had meticulously prepared for every possible scenario ahead of the pivotal clash in Abu Dhabi, ensuring they were ready for anything that came their way.
“We prepared well to face Qatar, knowing they have a strong team with exceptional players and a high-level coach,” said Bento.
“We considered every possible scenario since predicting their strategy was challenging.
“We succeeded in capitalising on our chances and scored goals – something we struggled with in the match against Uzbekistan, despite performing well. Unfortunately, we missed many easy opportunities then.”
The result left the UAE in third place in Group A, just three points behind Uzbekistan, who currently hold the second automatic qualification spot for the 2026 World Cup.
The UAE will continue their campaign in March, facing table-toppers Iran, who sit six points clear of the UAE and thee ahead of Uzbekistan.
