UAE go down fighting Australia in FIFA World Cup playoff match

Gulf Today Report

Jackson Irvine and Ajdin Hrustic scored a goal each as Australia defeated UAE 2-1 in their 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff match in Doha on Tuesday.

Now the Australia will take on Peru in the intercontinental playoff for a place in the World Cup. Australia have played in the last four consecutive World Cups.

This is the deepest the UAE have managed to go since their maiden qualification in 1990.

After a goalless first-half, Australia broke the deadlock through Jackson Irvine in the 57th minute to take a 1-0 lead.

After collecting a low pass from Martin Boyle, Irvine slotted home the opener to put Australia 1-0 ahead.

But the joy of Australians was short lived as the UAE pulled one back through Caeo Canedo four minutes later to restore the parity. This was Caeo’s fourth goal for the UAE in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

The Brazilian import is one of the most of important cog in the wheel of UAE juggernaut. He has been instrumental in all their victories, making an impact either by scoring himself or setting up one.

In the 75th minute, UAE coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena decided to introduce fresh legs, with Ali Saleh replacing Ali Mabkhout and Yahya Nader replaced Abdalla Ramadan. Hrustic added one more in the 84th minute.

 UAE players are pictured during a training session at the Ahmad bin Ali stadium. AFP

The play-off matches represent an opportunity for the teams that stumbled in their qualifying journey.

The Welsh team was writing a new history yesterday, after it qualified for the European play-off at the expense of Ukraine, to return to the world stage after an absence of 64 years.