United Arab Emirates vs. Iran: preview and betting tips

The United Arab Emirates will face an important World Cup qualifying match on Thursday. At home, they will welcome the big favourite to qualify, Iran, which is still 100 percent. Will they take their first points?

The hosts have just two points after two matches in the third stage of the qualification. That is enough for third place, two points behind second-placed South Korea. So far they have only played the underdogs, Lebanon and Syria.

It is Iran that leads qualifying Group A. They have won twice, so they are 100%, and they haven’t even scored once. First it beat Syria, then it beat Iraq. They will go into Thursday’s game as favourites.

The UAE are relying on Ali Mabkhout, the skilful striker has scored eight goals in his last five matches. Offensive midfielder Fabio Lima, the team’s third most expensive player, has been instrumental in three other goals.

Iran’s biggest star is Sardar Azmoun, who has scored two goals in his last two games for the national team. Overall, he has already scored seven times in qualifying, as has teammate Karim Ansarifard.

The UAE has been held by its defence, scoring more than once in only one of its last nine games.

Iran holds an admirable streak of five games without scoring, scoring 18 times itself in the meantime.

Given the excellent form of the visitors’ defence, I think they will win the match.