Qatar will be aiming to continue their purple patch when they face the UAE in their opening AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 Group A tie at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Thursday.

Qatar followed up their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 triumph by qualifying for the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers with two matches to spare and head into their Group A opener against the UAE on the back of an 11-match unbeaten run.

The two-time AFC Asian Cup champions will see the return of key players Akram Afif and Almoez Ali to action, after head coach Marquez Lopez chose to rest several stars during the final two second-round fixtures against Afghanistan and India.

Qatar, looking to qualify for the global showpiece on merit after having made their debut as hosts of the 2022 edition, will not be short of confidence with Ali - who topped the scoring charts with seven goals alongside South Korea’s Son Heung-min in the second round and Afif - who won the AFC Asian Cup Golden Boot - key figures to their campaign.

They will face a UAE side seeking a second appearance at the global showpiece, having come agonisingly close to qualifying for the Qatar 2022 edition with Australia ending their campaign in the Asian playoff.

The 2022 heartbreak has fueled Paulo Bento’s side, who cruised into the AFC Asian Qualifiers with two matches to spare.

The Emiratis, however, have not beaten Qatar since their 4-1 triumph in the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 but Bento will believe his side have the quality to end their long wait.

Saudi take on Indonesia: Saudi Arabia have a perfect record to maintain when they kickstart their Group C campaign against Indonesia at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on Thursday.

The Green Falcons have an impeccable record in their matches against the Southeast Asian side, winning 10 and drawing once as head coach Roberto Mancini looks to take Saudi Arabia to a seventh FIFA World Cup appearance.

Mancini’s side sealed qualification to this stage with a match to spare and even though they lost their final group game in the second round to Jordan, the Italian will be confident of clinching one of the two automatic FIFA World Cup berths at stake in the group.

The 59-year-old has included new AS Roma full-back Saud Abdulhamid and reigning AFC Player of the Year Salem Al Dawsari in a strong 31-man squad for the clash against Indonesia.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Maarten Paes is the only newcomer in Shin Tae-yong’s otherwise familiar-looking Indonesia squad that includes new Oxford United player Marselino Ferdinan and Jay Idzes, who plays for Venezia in the Italian Serie A.

Shin guided Indonesia to the runners-up spot in Group F of the second round, finishing eight points behind Iraq but more importantly, four ahead of Vietnam with the Korean realistic about what’s to come.

“For sure the target is to get good results and we will try our best. The ball is round and anything can happen but what is certain is that we will give it our all to achieve as much as possible,” said Shin.

Iraq face Oman: Iraq are all set to make a strong push for a ticket to the FIFA World Cup when they kick off their Asian Qualifiers Group B campaign against Oman.

Having navigated the second round with a perfect six wins, Jesus Casas-led Iraq are aiming to replicate the success of the 1986 squad that qualified for the nation’s maiden FIFA World Cup in Mexico.

While the 1986 campaign ended in three defeats, Iraq are eager to return to the world stage and with the talent at their disposal, Casas is confident his side can claim one of the eight spots available for the FIFA World Cup 2026 to be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US.

Since taking charge in 2022, Casas has transformed Iraq into a formidable force, highlighted by their 2-1 victory over Japan in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 group stage. Known for their high-tempo football, Iraq have used speed and agility to dominate opponents, a strategy they’ll continue to rely on in the AFC Asian Qualifiers.