Qatar book Asian Cup spot, advance in WC qualifiers

Qatar left it late to defeat Kuwait 1-0 to ensure their place at the 2027 Asian Cup and third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at Sabah Al Salem Stadium on Wednesday.
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 Wednesday’s hosts were sitting bottom of Group A with three points going into Matchday Four.
Almoez Ali was about to start celebrating when he bounced on a poor defensive clearance following Ismaeel Mohamed’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.
Ismaeel Mohamed 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 Mohamed 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 2027 in Saudi Arabia with 12 points, while Kuwait battle out for second place with India and Afghanistan, their next two opponents respectively.
Afghanistan fight
back to stun India
In another Group A match, an inspired Afghanistan came from behind to beat India 2-1 in Guwahati on Wednesday. Trailing to a Sunil Chhetri penalty at the interval, Afghanistan drew level through Rahmat Akbari in the 70th minute, with Sharif Mukhammad converting from the spot in the 88th minute for Afghanistan to take the win and draw level with India on four points.
India tried to seize the initiative early, and should have taken the lead in the third minute when a well-orchestrated attack saw Brandon finding Chhetri in the box but even as he beat his marker with his deft turn, his left footed shot bounced off the post with the rebound falling to Manvir Singh who failed to find the target despite a gaping goalmouth.
That did not deter Afghanistan, and they hit back with three back-to-back corners in the seventh minute – the first of which required an agile Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Sandhu stretch to his full to prevent a Zohib Amiri header bulging the net.
The vociferous home support eventually inspired India to surge into the lead in the 38th minute. Desperate to keep Chhetri pouncing on Manvir Singh’s cross from the right, Amiri was found guilty of handling the ball inside the box.
Off the resultant penalty, Chhetri, playing his 150th international match, converted from the spot – sending the ball to the right of a diving Afghan goalkeeper Ovays Azizi for his 94th international goal.
The duo of Rahmat Akbari and Taufee Skandari did create some problems for India down the left in the second half, and in an effort to add more thrust Afghanistan head coach Ashley Westwood introduced Fareed Sadat in place of Omid Popalzy in the 65th minute.
Afghanistan restored parity in the 70th minute.
Managing to find space behind the Indian high line of defence, Mosawer Ahadi cut inside only for his shot to be blocked but the rebound fell to Akbari whose effort squeezed between Rahul Bheke’s legs for the equaliser. Afghanistan preferred to push the pedal a bit further, and in the 76th minute, an acrobatic Gurpreet dived to his left to palm off Skandari’s curler.
Gurpreet, a tower of composure till then, however, was guilty of giving away a penalty when he fouled substitute Sadat on the edge of the box. An ice-cool Mkuhammad sent the keeper the wrong way in the 88th minute for Afghanistan to take the points.