United Arab Emirates vs Syria – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Prediction | WCQ 2022

Cho GueSung of South Korea and Walid Abbas Albalooshi of UAE
Cho GueSung of South Korea and Walid Abbas Albalooshi of UAE - IMAGO / NurPhoto

The Al Maktoum Stadium Dubai will play host to a crunch World Cup qualifier game between the United Arab Emirates and Syria this Thursday, with both teams looking to pick up maximum points.

Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium (Dubai)

Key Statistics

UAE have failed to score in their last two games.

They have won just one of their opening six qualifier games.

Syria are winless in their opening qualifier games.

They have conceded eleven goals in six games, more than any other side in their group.

Head to head

UAE have a strong record in this tie, winning four of the nine head-to-head meetings between both teams. Syria have just two wins and three draws. 

Latest performances in all competitions

UAE: L-L-W-W-W

Syria: L-W-L-L-D

UAE

United Arab Emirates will look to take a step closer to their quest for a place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar when they welcome fellow Middle-Eastern counterpart Syria to the grand Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.

The hosts are currently seated third in Group A with six points after winning just one of their opening six group games (D3, L2).

Their current point tally leaves them a whopping eight points behind South Korea in second.

They are just one point ahead of Lebanon in third and can drop completely out of the playoff spot if they lose this game and if results in other games go against them.

Their form coming into this tie is not encouraging, as they have lost their last two games without scoring a goal. Their last game was a 5-0 loss to Qatar in the FIFA Arab Cup Playoffs Quarterfinals, and saw them concede all five goals in the first 45 minutes.

They will be hoping to redeem themselves against lowly Syria and, in that way, keep their chances of progressing to the playoffs alive.

Possible UAE starting line-ups

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

Syria 

Syria will look to keep their very faint chances of World Cup qualification alive when they travel to Dubai this Thursday.

The visitors are rooted bottom in their group, having taken just two points from their opening six games, leaving them on the brink of elimination.

Their chances of progressing to the next round hinges on their ability to win this game and the remaining three after it, while they will be hoping UAE and other group members pick up a few points in that period. 

However, Syria come into this with one win from their last eleven games in all competitions (D2, L8). They are yet to play in the World Cup final, and the evidence on the ground suggests that their wait for a World Cup final appearance will extend further. 

Possible Syria starting line-ups

Ibrahim Alma (GK); Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Abdullah Al Shami, Youssef Mohammad; Mahmoud Al-Mawas, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ward Al Salama, Fahd Youssef; Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah

Injured: None

Suspended: None

Prediction

UAE 3-0 Syria