UAE keep World Cup dreams alive with draw against Iraq in first leg of playoffs

Iraq and the UAE will go into Tuesday's second leg of their AFC Asian Qualifiers™ - Road to 26 Playoffs Knockout Stage with the tie evenly poised after sharing a 1-1 draw in Abu Dhabi on Thursday that keeps their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification hopes alive.

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Ali Al Hamadi gave the Iraqis the lead in the 10th minute at a sold-out Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium but a Luanzinho header eight minutes later means the teams will go into the return clash in Basra with nothing between them.

The winners of the two-legged clash will advance to the FIFA Intercontinental Playoffs, which will be held in March, when the last two remaining places at the 48-team Finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be at stake.

The visitors went ahead when Amir Al Ammari's free-kick caused indecision in the Emirati defence. The ball was never fully cleared, allowing Akam Hashim to send a low centre from the right that Al Hamadi turned in with a first-time effort.

Iraq's advantage was to last only eight minutes, however. Possession was worked out to the right by the hosts and Abdalla Ramadan swung his left-foot cross in towards the edge of the six-yard box from where Luanzinho powered his header beyond Jalal Hassan.