United Arab Emirates pulled off a stunning late comeback to defeat Oman 2–1 in Group A of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers Round 4 Group A at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Al Rayyan.
Goals in the closing minutes of the match sealed the dramatic turnaround, meaning UAE now only need to avoid defeat against Qatar on Tuesday to confirm their ticket to North America. Meanwhile, Oman’s campaign came to a disappointing end, earning just one point from their playoff fixtures.
The match began with high intensity as Oman, desperate for their first win, took the initiative early on. Their persistence paid off in the 12th minute, when Amjad Al Harthi’s strike — after a deflected cross from Majed Hassan — beat UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa to give Oman a 1–0 lead.
The goal briefly rattled Cosmin Olaroiu’s UAE, who struggled to find rhythm. A golden chance came in the 21st minute when Fabio Lima’s lofted ball found Caio Lucas, who set up Nicolas Gimenez, but Oman’s keeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini produced a sharp save to keep his side ahead.
Oman nearly doubled their advantage in the 29th minute, capitalizing on a misjudged back-pass by Eisa, but Issam Al Sabhi’s attempt was denied by the Emirati shot-stopper’s quick recovery.
Olaroiu made bold changes at halftime, introducing Caio Canedo, Yahia Nader, and Harib Abdalla to add attacking impetus. UAE began to dictate the tempo, and in the 62nd minute, Yahya Al Ghassani orchestrated a brilliant move but Gimenez missed narrowly wide, letting Oman off the hook.
The Emiratis were briefly awarded a penalty in the 70th minute after Ali Saleh appeared to be fouled inside the box, but VAR intervention saw referee Alireza Faghani overturn the decision, maintaining Oman’s slender lead.
UAE’s persistence finally paid off in the 76th minute when Ali Saleh delivered a precise cross that found Marcus Meloni, who powered home a header past Al Mukhaini to level the score at 1–1.
With momentum fully shifting, UAE pushed for a winner — and they found it in spectacular fashion. In the 83rd minute, Caio Lucas unleashed a curling long-range effort that dipped perfectly into the bottom corner, sending the Emirati bench and fans into jubilation.
Goalkeeper Khalid Eisa ensured the comeback was complete with a crucial fingertip save in the 89th minute to deny Zahir Al Aghbari, preserving UAE’s 2–1 victory.
Credit Photo : UAEFA
