The UAE national football team suffered its first loss in the decisive round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup yesterday, falling to Iran in the third round with a score of 0-1. The goal was scored by Mehdi Taremi in the 70th minute of the match held at Zabeel Stadium. The "Whites" remain at two points, while Iran retains the lead in Group A with nine points, followed by South Korea with seven points after their 2-1 victory over Syria, which remains at one point. Iraq and Lebanon ended their match in a goalless draw, both raising their points to two.
Despite the loss, coach Van Marwijk affirmed in the post-match press conference his commitment to hope, noting that the "Whites" are capable of recovery, with seven matches remaining and a chance for all three teams in each group to qualify.
#### Match Details
The "Whites" showed good performance in the first half but their performance declined in the second half, allowing their opponent the advantage to score the only goal. Ali Khaseef saved a penalty from Sardar Azmoun's shot in the 89th minute. The UAE will face Iraq in the fourth round of the qualifiers next Tuesday at Zabeel Stadium and needs a win to maintain their hopes of competition.
#### First Half Overview
The first half saw caution from both teams to avoid conceding any goals that could diminish their ambitions. The "Whites" displayed commendable organization, with Mohamed Al Attas performing well in his first appearance. The team successfully closed off all spaces and avenues for the Iranian players, demonstrating solid defensive cohesion and minimizing any threats from the opponents, while the midfielders executed their defensive roles effectively and circulated the ball accurately.
The UAE relied on quick counterattacks from the right side, featuring Bandar Al Ahbabi and Lima, which troubled the Iranian defense that responded with strong physical challenges against our forwards, especially Ali Mabkhout, to limit his threat. In the final minutes of the first half, Iran's Ali Reza attempted a shot that sailed over the bar, only for Khalil Ibrahim to respond with a shot that also went over, ending the half in a goalless draw with a technical advantage for the UAE.
#### Second Half Developments
At the start of the second half, Van Marwijk substituted Mohamed Jumaa "Pelé" in place of Khalil Ibrahim to boost the attacking front. Meanwhile, the Iranian team ramped up its offensive by exerting pressure on the "Whites'" defense, which stood firm. Hussein Kanani attempted a shot, but Ali Khaseef saved it, showing signs of fatigue among our players after their significant efforts in the first half.
An overturned red card incident occurred when Khalil Shajai of Iran fouled Ali Mabkhout. The referee initially issued a red card but, after consulting with his colleague via VAR, ruled the play offside and revoked the Iranian player's red card.
The UAE intensified its attack on the Iranian goal in search of an equalizer, but fate turned against them as Mehdi Talebi scored the first goal for Iran due to a defensive error by the UAE in the 70th minute. This heightened tensions in the match, leading coach Van Marwijk and team manager Yasser Salem to protest against the referee's performance. Van Marwijk replaced Abdullah Hamad with Tiago Alves to strengthen the attacking side in the closing minutes, while Ali Khaseef successfully saved a penalty taken by Iranian professional Sardar Azmoun in the 89th minute.
