KUWAIT CITY: Qatar left it late to defeat Kuwait 2-1 in Group E of the Preliminary Joint Qualification - Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 at Sabah Al Salem Stadium on Tuesday.
The two-time AFC Asian Cup champions had won each of their three previous matches in the group, including a 3-0 victory over Kuwait in the reverse fixture, while Tuesday’s hosts were sitting bottom of Group E with three points going into Matchday Four.
Almoez Ali was about to start celebrating when he bounced on a poor defensive clearance following Ismaeel Mohammad’s cross from the right, with his shot looking destined for the back of the net, but a heroic interception from defender Khaled Hajiah denied the Qataris the opener.
Sulaiman Abdulghafoor needed to be at his best to stop Lucas Mendes’ powerful header following Abdullah Al Ahrak’s cross from the left, the Kuwaiti goalkeeper produced an exquisite reflex save to deny the Qatari defender.
Mohammad and Ali combined again early in the second half with the right back crossing for Qatar’s all-time top scorer who rifled from a tight angle but watched his effort sail into the stands behind the Kuwaiti goal.
Qatar continued to press forward in pursuit of an opener and had one of their biggest chances of the game just before the hour-mark when Akram Afif fed Ahmed Al Rawi inside the box and the young forward had just the goalkeeper to beat, but his attempt to round Abdulghafoor was frustrated by a smothering save.
At the other end of the pitch, Kuwait came within a whisker of opening their account when Faisal Al Harbi curled a free-kick from 25 yards out, beating the wall but just not dropping quickly enough and ending up behind for a goal kick with his last effort before being subbed off.
The series of squandered chances from both sides continued with Kuwait’s Mohammad Daham breaking free and finding his way inside the box, but as he attempted to finish into the near corner, his attempt was not accurate enough, instead passing just wide of the upright.
The stalemate finally came to an end in the 77th minute following a string of Qatari passes around the Kuwaiti box, with the ball finding its way to Afif down the right, and the new Qatar captain squared for Ali to tap home at the far post to put his country in the lead.
The visitors’ joy lasted merely two minutes before Kuwait restored parity. Substitute Eid Al Rashedi delivered a pinpoint cross from the right for Daham who beat his markers to the ball and headed it in for 1-1.
Ali refused to give up and a minute later he had found the back of the net again. The forward latched onto a long ball, beating the onrushing Abdulghafoor and lobbing him to restore Qatar’s lead.
With the win, Qatar continue their perfect run in the qualifiers, sealing their place in the next round and the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 with 12 points, while Kuwait battle out for second place with India and Afghanistan, their next two opponents respectively.
