United Arab Emirates vs Iran

Zabeel Stadium plays host to a heavyweight FIFA World Cup qualifying match between the United Arab Emirates and Iran.

The United Arab Emirates’ blunt displays in their early Group A exchanges have resulted in back-to-back draws with the likes of sub-par Lebanon and Syria, both of which featured under 2.5 overall goals. However, the hosts remain unbeaten in nine international fixtures in 2021 (W6, D3), conceding under 1.5 goals eight times in the process. Before being held to a scoreless home draw to Lebanon last time out, the ‘Sons of Zayed’ had won five World Cup qualifiers on home soil in a row, netting an intimidating average of 3.4 goals per game in this run. That form should inspire the UAE’s hopes of posting their first World Cup qualifying victory over Iran at home at the fourth attempt (D1, L2), having drawn a blank in two of the last three.

On the other hand, the visitors have hit the ground running in Group A, having won their first two matches by an aggregate score of 4-0 to take control of the section. Iran’s attacking set-up usually sparks into life after half-time, as they’ve netted three of their four Group A goals in the second half of play. They will fall back on that free-scoring form as they aim to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup finals for the first time in the nation’s history. The ‘Iranian Cheetahs’ can also find comfort in going from back-to-back World Cup qualifying defeats away from home to consecutive victories in such fixtures. Though it’s worth noting that those triumphs arrived against low-profile opposition, the fact Iran scored 13 goals combined in that sequence will encourage the traveling supporters.