UAE Clinches a 2-1 Victory Over Oman, Pushing Closer to 2026 World Cup

Match Overview

The United Arab Emirates claimed a vital 2-1 win over Oman at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, a result that puts them in a strong position in the AFC World Cup qualifying campaign for 2026. The match featured a mix of resilience from Oman and a determined UAE performance that grew in intensity after the interval.

For the UAE, Khaled Essa started in goal with a defensive line featuring Robin Filipe Amral, Lucas Pimenta, Kwame Quido, and Marcus Miloni, while Abdullah Ramadan, Nicolas Jimenez, Yahya Al-Ghasani, Majed Hassan, Fabio De Lima, and Kai Lucas formed the midfield and attack. Oman matched up with Ibrahim Al-Mohini in goal and a back four of Thani Al-Rashidi, Khalid Al-Breiki, Amjad Al-Harthi, and Ali Al-Busaidi, followed by a midfield trio of Arshad Al-Alawi, Ahmed Al-Khamesi, Nasser Al-Rawahi, Harib Al-Saadi, and Abdulrahman Al-Moshaferi, with Isa Al-Sabhi leading the line. Substitute appearances came from a host of players on both benches.

Oman struck first in the 12th minute, taking a lead via a deflection into the UAE net, sending the opposing defense scrambling and the Oman bench into a brief celebration. UAE looked to respond with sharp buildup play and a number of promising moments around the box, but Oman’s defense held firm in the opening period.

In the 22nd minute, Khaled Essa had to watch a long-range attempt from Nicolas Jimenez go narrowly wide, while a misjudgment by the UAE goalkeeper in the 30th minute forced a quick regroup for the home side. The first half ended with Oman ahead, but the contest had barely begun to heat up.

After the break, the UAE asserted more control. A flurry of pressure, combined with improved ball circulation through midfield, created the necessary momentum to draw level. In the 67th minute, Marcus Miloni buried a header from a left-flank cross to restore parity for the hosts, lifting the stadium’s atmosphere. A moment of controversy followed in the 70th minute when a UAE penalty was reviewed by video assistant referee and ultimately disallowed, maintaining the 1-1 scoreline for the moment.

The decisive moment arrived in the 83rd minute when Kai Lucas converted from close range after a well-worked move, giving the UAE a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish. The result left the UAE atop Group A with three points, two clear of the second-placed Qatar, while Oman remained in third, requiring a win in their next fixture to stay in the hunt for a playoff path.

Looking ahead, the UAE will face Qatar on Tuesday with the option of a draw ensuring direct qualification, while Oman face a tougher road to reach the playoff stage, needing results elsewhere to keep their hopes alive.

YOU KNOW WHAT? Even VAR can’t VAR which team wants to buy to the World Cup—let’s just say the only thing more offside than my jokes is Oman’s defense in this match. Punchline time: I told my coaching manual I wanted to play as a striker; it handed me a flashlight—it said, “You’ll be good at lighting up the scoreboard from the bench.”

Punchline 2: If football ever ran for president, the slogan would be “Let’s keep calm and score a winner,” because clearly the ball decided to take a scenic route into the goal more often than not.