Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Shah Alam: The UAE remained in second spot in FIFA World Cup 2018/AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifying Group A after the AFC Asian Cup 2015 semi-finalists edged hosts Malaysia 2-1 on Tuesday.
Mercurial midfielder Omar Abdulrahman broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute with his second of the qualifiers after netting the winner as the UAE opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Timor Leste back in June.
Seven minutes into the second half skipper Ahmed Khalil doubled the UAE’s advantage as the Al Ahli star took his individual tally for the qualifiers into double figures having scored four times in both the 10-0 hammering of the Malaysians at home in September and last week’s 8-0 defeat of Timor Leste, as well his opener in the 2-1 loss to Group A leaders Saudi Arabia.
Malaysia reduced the deficit a minute shy of the hour mark through Baddrol Bakhtiar, but with neither side able to add to the scoreline in the remaining half-hour, the Keddah midfielder's first goal of the qualifiers completed the scoring.
The victory took the UAE on to 13 points, three points below Group A leaders Saudi Arabia, who consolidated their position at the top of the table with a 10-0 hammering of Timor Leste earlier on Tuesday.
The group winners and four best runners-up (total 12 teams) will advance to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals and the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The next best 24 teams from the preliminary stage of the joint qualifiers will compete in a separate competition for the remaining slots (12 slots or 11 slots + 1 slot for the host) in the 24-team 2019 Asian Cup.