Iraq will welcome the United Arab Emirates to Baghdad this Thursday in the ninth round of their 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Venue: Al-Madina Stadium (Baghdad)
Key Statistics
Iraq are unbeaten in their last three home games (W2, D1).
The hosts have scored just four goals in this World Cup qualifiers (WCQ) campaign.
They are winless in this WCQ group games (D5, L3).
United Arab Emirates are winless in their last four WCQ games.
They have scored and conceded six times in eight WCQ games.
Head to head
In the last ten meetings between both sides, UAE had four wins while Iraq had two wins.
Latest performances in all competitions
Iraq: W-D-L-W-L
UAE: L-W-L-L-W
Iraq
Iraq will look to get their first win in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers campaign when they face off with tier Middle Eastern cousins in Baghdad on Thursday.
The hosts have drawn five and lost three of their opening eight games, leaning them at the brink of missing out on a place in the World Cup finals.
They come into this round of games sitting in fifth place, four points behind their visitors occupying the last playoff spot.
That means that a win in this game and another win in their last game could see them qualify for the playoffs. And so, they will be motivated to get the win that has so far eluded them in this group.
Possible Iraq starting line-up
Fahad Talib (GK); Ahmed Ibrahim, Manaf Younis, Mustafa Nadhim, Hassan Raed; Saad Abdul-Amir, Amjad Attwan, Mohammed Ali Abbood, Hussein Ali; Aymen Hussein, Alaa Abbas.
Injured: None
Suspended: None
United Arab Emirates
UAE will be looking to get a win that will take them closer to securing a place in the playoffs round of the Qatar World Cup when they face Iraq in Baghdad on Thursday.
The visitors have nine points from their opening eight games. And so they come into this tie occupying the playoffs place, three points ahead of Lebanon in fourth.
They could secure their playoffs spot if they win this game and Lebanon fails to win Syria in their fixture. That means that they will come into this game desperate for a result that will guarantee them a spot in the next round.
Given that one of their only wins in this group came away from home against Lebanon, they will fancy their chances of getting a good result on this occasion.
Possible UAE starting line-up
Ali Khasif (GK); Walid Abbas, Shahin Abdalrahman, Mohammed Al-Attas, Mahmoud Khamees; Ali Salmeen, Bandar Al-Ahbabi, Abdullah Ramadan; Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Sebastian Tagliabue..
Injured: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Iraq 1-2 UAE
