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Qatar will welcome the UAE to Ahmad bin Ali Stadium for a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday. The hosts have not been in action since claiming a 2-1 comeback home win over India in the last round of the qualifiers in June 2024.
They went behind to Lallianzuala Chhangte's 37th-minute strike but Yousef Aymen drew the game level in the 71st minute. Ahmed Al Rawi scored the match-winner in the 85th minute.
The win saw The Maroons advance to this stage of the qualifiers as Group A winners with 16 points from six games.
The UAE, meanwhile, shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at home to Bahrain. They went behind to Mehdi Hasan's fourth-minute strike while Sultan Adli drew the game level six minutes later.
The draw saw them end up winners of Group H in the last round of the qualifiers on 16 points from six games.
The White One have been drawn alongside Qatar, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran and Kyrgyzstan in Group A.
Qatar vs UAE Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two sides have clashed on 33 occasions in the past. Qatar have 14 wins to their name, and the UAE were victorious 10 times while nine games were drawn.
- One of those draws came in their most recent clash in January 2023 when they canceled each other out in a 1-1 stalemate.
- Six of the last seven head-to-head games have produced three goals or more.
- Four of the UAE's last six games have witnessed goals at both ends.
- Qatar are unbeaten in their last 11 games, winning 10 games in this sequence.
- Four of Qatar's last five games have witnessed more goals scored in the second half than the first.
Qatar vs UAE Prediction
Qatar followed up their successful Asian Cup campaign with a bright start to the World Cup qualifiers. They breezed through the last round of the qualifiers and will be aiming to qualify for the World Cup for the second time in their history.
The UAE, for their part, are winless in the last four head-to-head games (three losses). They have not made it to the World Cup for 34 years.
We are backing the home side to claim a comfortable victory with goals at both ends.
Prediction: Qatar 3-1 UAE
Qatar vs UAE Prediction
Tip 1 - Qatar to win
Tip 2 - Both teams to score
Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 4 - Highest scoring half: Second half
