2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers: UAE vs Iran [Preview]

Sports Keeda – DUBAI, Iran faces The UAE at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

With two wins from as many games in the final round, Team Melli is hoping to continue their winning run and book their place in next year’s finals.

They’re also one of the only two sides in the group yet to concede, having shut out Syria and Iraq in 1-0 and 3-0 victories respectively.

The UAE are in third place with two points after back-to-back draws in both their games so far.

Lebanon held them to a goalless stalemate before Syria denied them a win with a late equalizer on matchday two.

They’ll be desperate for a victory here, but their record against Iran is extremely poor.

UAE vs Iran Head-To-Head

Iran have never lost to the UAE in any of their 14 previous clashes, winning 10.

Their last three encounters have also gone Team Melli’s way, including a 1-0 victory in the 2015 Asia Cup.

UAE Form Guide (all competitions): W-W-W-D-D

Iran Form Guide (all competitions): W-W-W-W-W

UAE vs Iran Team News

UAE

Head coach Bert van Marwijk has named a 28-man squad for their upcoming qualifiers against Iran and Iraq.

Top-scorer Ali Mabkhout, who has scored 77 goals in 94 games, will lead the line, while Walid Abbas, another experienced player, is their captain.

There are a few fresh faces in the camp, including full-backs Abdulaziz Haikal and Ahmed Rashid. Sharjah and Al Ain midfielders Majed Rashid and Mohammed Abbas are also in line to make their international debuts.

Brazil-born forward Caio Canedo misses out with an injury.

Injury: Caio Canedo

Suspended: None

Unavailable: None

Iran

Team Melli head coach Dragan Socic has named a 26-man squad for this month’s double-header, featuring mainly foreign-based players.

Zenit St. Petersburg forward Sardar Azmoun, Porto’s Mehdi Taremi, Brentford midfielder Saman Ghoddos and Feyenoord star Alireza Jahanbakhsh have all been summoned.

Defender Siavash Yazdani and Sepahan midfielder Yasin Salmani could both make their international debuts.

Injured: None

Suspended: None

Unavailable: None

UAE vs Iran Predicted XI

UAE (4-3-3): Ali Khasif; Bandar Al-Ahbabi, Shahin Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamees; Abdelrahman Ali Hassan, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Ramadan; Fabio Lima, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue.

Iran (4-4-2): Alireza Beiranvand; Sadegh Moharrami, Hossein Kanaanizadegan, Shojae Khalilzadeh, Omid Noorafkan; Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Saeed Ezatolahi, Ahmad Nourollahi, Vahid Amiri; Sardar Azmoun, Mehdi Taremi.

UAE vs Iran Prediction

The UAE have never beaten Iran but their current run of form holds them in good stead. Yet, Team Melli are the strongest Asian side with genuine quality in their ranks.

It may be a tough game but we expect Iran to eventually come out on top.

Prediction: UAE 1-2 Iran