After four qualification rounds spanning 25 months, more than 200 matches and 600 goals, only two Asian nations remain in the hunt for what could be the region’s final FIFA World Cup 26™ berth.
With eight AFC nations having already confirmed their passage to North America, Iraq and United Arab Emirates now go toe-to-toe in the fifth round of qualification. The winner of the home-and-away tussle will secure passage to next year’s FIFA Play-Off Tournament.
Both nations are bidding to reach what would be just a second World Cup, with Iraq having featured at Mexico 1986 and the UAE four years later in Italy.
FIFA takes a look at how each nation is shaping up ahead of a decisive week of action, with the first leg being hosted in Abu Dhabi on 13 November and the return fixture five days later in the cauldron of Basra’s International Stadium.
Head Coach: Cosmin Olaroiu (Romania)
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking: 67
Record in World Cup 26 qualifying: P18 W10 D4 L4
Having worked at club level in the Emirates for the better part of a decade, Cosmin Olaroiu was appointed to succeed Paulo Bento in April as a safe pair of hands. The 56-year-old Romanian has had four competitive matches at the UAE helm and made a positive start with draws against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic helping to secure the nation’s passage to the fourth round.
There, UAE saw off Oman, before falling 2-1 to Qatar in a tense clash in Doha which saw the Qataris secure passage to the finals and the Emirates a fifth-round ticket.
Much has been made of a concerted effort to naturalise players, with half of the squad named by Olaroiu for these matches being born outside the UAE, including half-a-dozen players from Brazil.
That number would have been swelled further if not for an injury to veteran forward Fabio Lima, while midfielder Majed Hassan also misses out through injury.
Head Coach: Graham Arnold (Australia)
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking: 57
Record in World Cup 26 qualifying: P18 W11 D4 L3
Iraq, too, made a coaching change in a bid to arrest a disappointing spell of third-round form, with former Australia coach Graham Arnold arriving to succeed Jesus Casas in May. Outside of a first-up defeat against Korea Republic, the turnaround has been impressive, with a 1-0 win against Jordan booking the nation’s spot in the fourth round.
Title success in September’s invitational King’s Cup tournament in Thailand preceded the fourth round of World Cup qualifiers, where Iraq defeated Indonesia 1-0 and drew 0-0 against hosts Saudi Arabia. That saw the Saudis pip the Lions of Mesopotamia to qualification on goals scored after the pair had finished level on both points and goal differential.
Iraq have the advantage of hosting the second leg in one of Asia’s most intimidating venues, in the southern city of Basra, although there has been mixed news on the injury front.
Both Aymen Hussein and Ali Al-Hamadi are reportedly fully fit and back in the squad, although two key midfield starters in Ibrahim Bayesh and Youssef Amyn have both been ruled out through injury.
Images courtesy of the AFC
