It was a tough Saturday for Carlos Queiroz, a manager well-known for guiding teams onto the global stage. His Oman squad stumbled, losing 2-1 to the United Arab Emirates, putting a serious dent in their hopes for the 2026 World Cup. This crucial match was part of Group A in the fourth round of Asian qualifiers.
Oman, ranked 78th in the world, started this three-team group by drawing 0-0 with host nation Qatar. They even grabbed an early lead against the UAE. A defender named Kouame Kouadio scored an own goal for Oman just 12 minutes into the game. Yet, they couldn’t hold onto that advantage. The UAE, sitting at 67th in the FIFA rankings, mounted a strong comeback.
Two players, both born in Brazil, turned the game around for the United Arab Emirates. Marcus Meloni leveled the score in the 77th minute. Then, just six minutes later, Caio Lucas netted the winning goal in the 83rd minute. This victory now makes the United Arab Emirates clear favorites to directly qualify for the World Cup.
The path to the World Cup is now much clearer for the UAE. They only need a draw against Qatar, ranked 53rd by FIFA, in their next match on Tuesday. If they secure that point, they will automatically advance. The United Arab Emirates last played in the World Cup in Italy in 1990. Back then, they were led by the Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.
For Carlos Queiroz and Oman, the situation is far more complicated. They now need Qatar to lose their upcoming game. Ideally, that defeat would be by two goals. This outcome is Oman’s only real shot at securing second place in the group.
The rules for this stage are straightforward. The winners of each of the two groups automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The teams that finish second in their groups will face each other in a two-legged playoff. The winner of that playoff will then move on to an intercontinental playoff tournament. That tournament involves six national teams and will decide which two additional teams earn a spot in the World Cup.
Carlos Queiroz boasts an impressive history of World Cup qualifications. He has four under his belt as a coach. He guided South Africa to the tournament in 2002 and Portugal in 2010. He also led Iran twice, in 2014 and 2018. Queiroz was also at the helm for Iran in the last edition, the 2022 World Cup. However, he only took over that job after the team had already secured its qualification.