Iraq And UAE Compete To Turn On The Opportunity To The 2022 World Cup

Iraqi defender Munaf Younus (left) fights for the ball with United Arab Emirates striker Caio Canedo during a match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Thursday 24 March. (ANTARA/AFP/Fayez Nureldine)

JAKARTA - While four Asian teams have already booked their place in the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, they will still have to fight Tuesday to keep their chances of appearing in the global football event for the first time in three decades.

Iraq and the UAE are both eyeing a third-placed position in Group A, which means that they will have a playoff match against Australia, who is definitely in third place in Group B of the Asian qualifying zone, behind Japan and Saudi Arabia who have already qualified.

Furthermore, the winner of the Asian playoff match will be met with fifth place in the final standings of the South American zone.

The UAE, who have appeared in the World Cup finals once in Italy in 1990, are currently third in Group A and will play South Korea on Tuesday, who have already qualified with Iran.

Rodolfo Arruabarrena's side have a one-point advantage over fourth-placed Iraq, who will face Syria in their final Group A match. The UAE vs South Korea and Iraq vs Syria matches start together in Dubai.

Iraq's win over the UAE on Thursday was the first in a turbulent run, with Abdulghani Shahad following in the footsteps of Dick Advocaat and Zeljko Petrovic to become the third coach to lead the team in nine games.

The win leaves Iraq a point behind the UAE and has fueled hopes that the country can qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

"Today's performance was a show of character," said Iraq captain Saad Abdulameer after the win over the UAE in Riyadh.

“The first win came late, but better late than never and we still have a chance to advance to the next game.

"We really needed this win, and we still have a lot more to give. With coach Shahad things will change, and you will see in the next few days that we will work hard and hopefully win the next game."

Meanwhile Lebanon have the slimmest hope of stealing third place, but Ivan Hasek's side are in a difficult position as they have to win heavily against hosts Iran while hoping for Iraq and the UAE to lose.

The playoffs between the two Asian qualifiers will be held in Qatar on June 7, with the winner taking on either Peru, Colombia or Chile in a match once a week later for a place in the 2022 World Cup finals.