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The United Arab Emirates have inflicted a hammer blow to Saudi Arabia’s World Cup hopes in a Group B result that would see Australia qualify with victory over Japan on Wednesday in Tokyo.
The fourth-placed UAE kept alive their slim hopes of a first appearance at the World Cup since 1990 with a come-from-behind 2-1 win in Al Ain City on Tuesday.
Ange Postecoglou’s Socceroos remain in third spot behind the Saudis, despite having the same number of points and goal difference.
The Samurai Blue top the group with 17 points.
A draw against Japan would leave Postecoglou’s men requiring a win against Thailand in Melbourne next week to guarantee a World Cup berth in Russia.
A defeat would leave them requiring victory over Thailand in Melbourne next Tuesday, a Saudi Arabia loss to Japan in Jeddah and potentially defeat for the UAE against Iraq in Jordan to rubber-stamp a top-two finish.
The team that finishes third will be left facing a tough road to Russia starting with a play off against the third-placed team in Group A, which is likely to be either South Korea or Uzbekistan.
They would then need to see off the fourth placed nation in the South and Central American group, which could be Costa Rica, the US, Panama or Honduras.
Saudi Arabia coach Bert Van Marwijk described the loss as “the most disappointing result in two years”.
“We had the opportunity to make an important step for direct placement, and we neglected that. It was completely unnecessary,” he told Football International.
Al Abed put the Saudis in front from the penalty spot in the 20th minute, but Ali Mabkhout levelled the score less than a minute later with a fine effort on the turn.
Saudi Arabia’s Osama Hawsawi hit the crossbar shortly after half-time, only for former Asian player of the year Ahmed Khalil to score a spectacular long-range winner on the hour mark.
Mahmoud Khamis of the UAE was sent off for a second bookable offence in the dying seconds of the game.
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