UAE move closer to World Cup as late goals seal win over Oman

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE UAE BEATING OMAN 2-1 IN THEIR WORLD CUP QUALIFIER RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: DOHA, QATAR (OCTOBER 11, 2025) (AFC – See restrictions before use) UAE (WHITE) V OMAN (RED) 1. PLAYERS SHAKING HANDS BEFORE THE MATCH 2. FANS IN THE STANDS 3. OMAN SQUAD HUDDLED UP BEFORE START OF MATCH FIRST HALF 4. GOAL! (12’) OMAN THROW THE BALL IN, OMAN TAKE A SHOT AND THE BALL IS DEFLECTED BY UAE’S KOUAME KOUADIO WHO SCORES AN OWN GOAL – OMAN LEAD 1-1 5. VARIOUS REPLAYS OF OWN GOAL 6. UAE HAVE A CHANCE TO EQUALISE, BUT THE SHOT BY MIDFIELDER, NICOLAS GIMENEZ, GOES JUST WIDE 7. REPLAY OF SCORING CHANCE SECOND HALF 8. GOAL! (76’) UAE FORWARD, ALI SALEH, PUTS UP A CROSS AND DEFENDER, MARCUS MELONI, IS THERE TO HEAD IT HOME TO LEVEL AT 1-1 9. FANS CHEERING IN THE STANDS 10. CELEBRATIONS 11. VARIOUS REPLAYS OF GOAL (TWO REPLAYS) 12. OMAN HAVE A CHANCE TO EQUALIZE BUT THE SHOT IS SAVED BY UAE GOALKEEPER, KHALID EISA 13. REPLAY OF SAVE 14. GOAL! (83’) UAE’S CAIO LUCAS SCORES THE WINNER FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX – UAE LEAD 2-1 15. CELEBRATIONS 16. VARIOUS REPLAYS OF THE WINNING GOAL (TWO REPLAYS) 17. OMAN HAVE A CHANCE TO EQUALIZE BUT THE SHOT IS DEFLECTED BY EISA 18. EISA CELEBRATING 19. REPLAY OF SAVE 20. UAE PLAYERS CELEBRATING WIN 21. UAE COACH, COSMIN OLAROIU, SHAKING HANDS WITH OMAN COACH, CARLOS QUEIROZ AFTER MATCH STORY: The United Arab Emirates struck late goals through Marcus Meloni and Caio Lucas to earn a 2-1 win over Oman in Doha on Saturday (October 11) as Cosmin Olaroiu's side battled back to keep their hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup alive. Caio Lucas hit the fortuitous winner seven minutes from time after Meloni scored with a 76th-minute header to cancel out an own goal by Kouame Kouadio that gave Oman a 12th-minute lead. The win moves the UAE to the cusp of their first appearance at the World Cup since 1990 with Olaroiu's team only needing a draw away to Qatar on Tuesday (October 14) to progress as winners of Group A in the fourth phase of Asia's preliminaries. The loss ends Oman's hopes of automatic qualification, but the Gulf state could still advance to another round of playoffs if the UAE defeat the Qataris by a large enough margin. Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan and Jordan have already taken six of Asia's eight guaranteed spots at next year's 48-team World Cup. (Production: Kurt Michael Hall)

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