Dubai: Ali Mabkhout left the UAE’s 2018 World Cup qualifying hopes hanging on by a thread after his last gasp equaliser secured a 1-1 draw away to already-eliminated Thailand in Bangkok on Tuesday.
Keeper Majed Nasser fumbled a collection from a cross on 69 minutes to gift Mongkol Thosakrai an opener, and the UAE had seemed set to crash out before Mabkhout provided the faintest of glimmer of hope on 93 minutes.
It leaves the UAE – who were playing their first game under new coach Edgardo Bauza – six points off the qualifying spots with just two games remaining.
Mabkhout shot wide from a cross, and headed over a chipped ball forward from Omar Abdul Rahman, in the best of the UAE’s first half chances - but it was Thailand who went into the break feeling more hard done by.
Adisak Kraisorn saw his header cleared off the line by Mohammad Fawzi and moments later Sirod Chatthong headed over at the back post from a cross.
Thailand eventually got their reward after the hour however, when Perapat Notechaiya crossed low into the box and Nasser saw the ball slip through his hands to allow Thosakrai a tap in.
With the clock ticking down and the UAE looking set to be eliminated, Omar Abdul Rahman’s long ball forward was headed down by Esmail Matar to Mabkhout, who turned the ball into the bottom right.
Mabkhout could have added a winner moments later, but swung at a loose ball dropped by the keeper and struck it over in front of an open goal to the dismay of his bench.
The UAE must now win both of their remaining games - by a sizeable margin to account for goal difference - at home to Saudi Arabia on August 29 and away to Iraq on September 5, in the hope that one of either Saudi or Australia, above them, lose both of their games.
Despite the draw, former Argentina coach Bauza, who replaced Mahdi Ali last month, remained confident.
“I have a plan and a vision and prepare everything for the next games,” he said in the post-match conference.
Elsewhere, on Tuesday, Japan topped the UAE’s group and are assured of at least a play-off despite being held to a 1-1 draw away to already eliminated Iraq.
