Doha, Qatar: Fabio Lima scored four goals as the United Arab Emirates outclassed Qatar 5-0 in their FIFA World Cup qualifying match at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, November 19. Brazil-born Lima opened the scoring in fourth minute and converted a penalty in 45th minute before netting his third goal with a stunning free kick in 45+5 minutes. The Al Wasl forward scored another goal from the spot in 56th minute with Yahya Al Ghassani’s strike in 73rd minute rounding off an emphatic victory against the two-time Asian champions.
The heavy defeat dealt a severe blow to Qatar’s World Cup qualifying hopes, leaving them fourth in Group A with seven points. They trail group leaders Iran by nine points and second-placed Uzbekistan by six. UAE strengthened their grip on third place, moving to 10 points while Kyrgyzstan (3 points) and North Korea (2 points) remain at the bottom of the standings.
The Asian Qualifiers will now take a break resuming in March next year. Qatar will face North Korea on March 20 as they seek to revive their campaign..
