FIFA World Cup qualifier: UAE defeats Oman 2–1 in an all-Gulf clash

Doha: The UAE national football team secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Oman in an all-Gulf encounter on Saturday at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, as part of Group A’s second-round matches in the Asian qualifiers playoff for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The result gives the UAE a crucial opening win in the group, while Oman and Qatar remain tied with one point each following their goalless draw in the opening round.

Oman began the match with high intensity, pressing the UAE defense early and taking the lead in the 12th minute through an own goal by defender Kwame Kweido, who inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net under pressure. The goal gave Oman an early advantage as they controlled possession for much of the first half.

The UAE’s attempts to respond were hindered when star winger Yahya Al Ghassani suffered an injury in the 32nd minute following a promising solo run. Head coach Cosmin Olăroiu was forced to replace him with Ali Saleh.

Despite flashes of creativity from Nicolas Giménez and Fabio Lima, the Emiratis went into halftime trailing 1–0 after a first half marked by defensive missteps and missed opportunities.

In the second half, Olăroiu made three substitutions, bringing on Harib Abdalla, Caio Canedo, and Yahya Nader, which immediately shifted the game’s momentum.

The UAE launched several dangerous attacks through Harib and Saleh, but Omani goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Khamini produced a string of saves to preserve his team’s lead.

The breakthrough came in the 76th minute, when Milos Miloni struck the equalizer after sustained UAE pressure.

Just seven minutes later, Caio Lucas sealed the comeback with a stunning long-range strike from outside the box in the 83rd minute, sending the Emirati fans into celebration.

Oman pressed for a late equalizer, but UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa delivered two crucial saves in the final minutes to secure the victory and maintain the team’s perfect start to the playoff round.