Iran face UAE challenge as Saudi Arabia take on China

Victory for Iran against UAE in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26 on Thursday will almost surely confirm their spot at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Paulo Bento’s UAE revived their hopes of taking one of the two automatic slots from the group with an impressive 5-0 win over Qatar on Matchday Six and the Portuguese tactician will be hoping his players can maintain the same form.

Despite Iran – who won the reverse fixture 1-0 last September – having home ground advantage, Bento will rally his players to deliver as UAE chase a second appearance at the FIFA World Cup. Iran will welcome UAE to the Azadi Stadium holding a three-point lead over second-placed Uzbekistan while UAE are a further three adrift.

Iran – seeking to qualify for a fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup – hardly put a foot wrong in their first six ties, only dropping points in a 0-0 draw with Uzbekistan on Matchday Three.

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei, in having named a talent-laden squad, will expect another three points with Iran expected to be backed by capacity crowd at the Azadi Stadium.

Saudi host China: Herve Renard has yet to taste victory since returning and the Frenchman will be hoping Saudi Arabia will correct that when they host China in Group C.

Both teams will head into the tie level on six points and need victory to stay in the race for an automatic slot to the FIFA World Cup 26.

Renard, who was in charge when Saudi Arabia stunned eventual champions Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2022, was reinstated as head coach following Roberto Mancini’s departure in late October.

The Frenchman’s reign, however started with a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia which was then followed by a stunning 2-0 defeat to Indonesia but having had time to adapt to the players, Renard will expect three points against China.

Branko Ivankovic will be expecting the same from his China despite the East Asian side struggling for consistency.

A 1-0 win over Bahrain in November was followed by a 3-1 defeat to Japan and with four of the six teams tied on six points in Group C, China desperately need to embark on a winning run if a second appearance at the FIFA World Cup is to be sealed.

Qatar meet North Korea: Luis Garcia will expect Qatar to be firing on all cylinders when they face North Korea in their Group A tie.

Hoping to qualify for the FIFA World Cup on merit after hosting the 2022 edition, Qatar’s inconsistency in the first six matches left them in fourth place with just seven points.

Garcia replaced AFC Asian Cup winning head coach Marquez Lopez in December and has the tough task of charting a revival despite Qatar’s fate no longer being in their own hands.

The top two spots, which will bring automatic qualification, look out of reach with Iran on 16 points and Uzbekistan three behind.

However, the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to a playoff where another two berths to the FIFA World Cup will be at stake and Garcia will expect Qatar to be in the mix.

DPR Korea’s chances of a top two finish are almost dashed with the East Asian side only on two points.

The playoffs, however, are still within reach and DPR Korea will give it their best shot - having already held Qatar 2-2 when the sides met last September.

Elsewhere, Tony Popovic admitted on Wednesday there will be a degree of unknown when his Australia side face an Indonesia team led for the first time by Patrick Kluivert in a World Cup qualifier.

The teams meet in Sydney on Thursday in a crucial clash with both battling to nab second spot in Asian qualifying Group C behind Japan.

With four rounds of games left, Australia are currently second in the group but just one point above Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and China.

Indonesia held Australia 0-0 in Jakarta in September but both teams have since changed coaches, with Popovic replacing Graham Arnold and Kluivert coming in for Shin Tae-yong.

Thursday’s game will be Barcelona and Dutch great Kluivert’s first in charge of the Southeast Asian nation, who are attempting to reach the World Cup for the first time since independence in 1945.