A short preview on the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification third round in Asia – Matchday 6

Matchday 6 will mark the begin of the reserve fixtures, and there shall be no room for any mistakes. Several teams have begun to feel more and more wrath, while some are looking for a place in Qatar.

Group A

Lebanon vs United Arab Emirates

A heart breaking late goal from Ahmad Nourollahi saw Lebanon fell from grace to a devastating home defeat, as Nourollahi was one of the two authors of Iran's injury time goals. Lebanon can still dream big though, as Lebanon has five points after five games, with a win and two draws as inspirations, something which is unthinkable given Lebanon's low status in Asian football stage.

By contrast, the United Arab Emirates has left nothing but disappointments, with a loss to South Korea away extended its lacklustre in this stage with only three points from three draws. More worryingly, Bert van Marwijk's boys has failed to keep clean sheet in four consecutive games in this stage of the qualification.

The UAE can still rally on the historical record though, with the UAE lost just one (7W, 4D). Yet with the inconsistent display, the upcoming trip to Lebanon is expected to be difficult, as long as the UAE fails to materialise its opportunities. It is worth mentioning that the UAE's only loss to Lebanon occurred back in the run for Brazil 2014, and also happened when the UAE travelled to the same country. This loss was responsible for the UAE's early elimination.

With all the respect, Czech manager Ivan Hašek has succeeded in exploiting the necessary energy that Lebanon lacks, and he is likely to rally his players against a very unstable Emirati side. The way Lebanon showed against Iran before falling in injury minutes proved that Lebanon is capable of making anything to happen.

Hassan Soony Saad has equalled Mohammad Kdouh's record as he netted the opening goal in Lebanon's unfortunate defeat to Iran. Meanwhile, with Ali Mabkhout being unable to deliver the expectation, Caio Canedo is the only few light of the Emiratis in the game where they lost to South Korea away.

Trivia: the UAE has just claimed only a win away in the 2022 WCQ.

Iraq vs South Korea

In the previous encounter, South Korea could not break through Iraq's defence as the game in Seoul settled with a goalless draw. This draw left an impression that Iraq is ready to return to the big stage since 1986, and that South Korea will have a difficult campaign.

Since then, however, it didn't really come always true. South Korea, though far from being consistent, already accumulated three wins and an impressive away draw over Iran to add the record, although it's notable that South Korea's three wins came at home soil. The recent unimpressive but necessary 1-0 win over the UAE, with a successful spot kick converted, is an answer for all critics.

Iraq, meanwhile, has been disappointing in its form, acquiring only four draws out of five. This put a severe crisis in the confidence of Iraq as players of this side found itself unable to deliver fans' expectation. To make the matter worse, Iraq has been allowing its opponents to take the lead over them, showing the weaknesses of Iraqi defence.

For this reason, Dick Advocaat will have little enthusiasm when facing South Korea, the team he formerly coached in Germany 2006. If Iraq can't be more reflexive, South Korea is very likely to overpower Iraq, and this is a real threat for Iraq's World Cup quest.

In such an important encounter, Iraq will be relying nothing else but the creativity of Ali Adnan, who has been instrumental in avoiding Iraq's defeats to the hand of the remainders save for Iran, which he wrestled with an injury. South Korea's Cho Gue-sung made history as the first player to be called to South Korean squad while he is still in the country's two-year military service.

Trivia: over four players of the South Korean side, including Cho Gue-sung, are still in the country's military service.

Syria vs Iran

Syria blew up itself in the run as the Syrians could only obtain another disappointing draw over a similar homeless Iraqi side, despite taking the lead by Omar Kharbin. With just two points out of five matches, it has not ended Syria's campaign, but it truly reveals that luck has no longer been on the side of the Syrians.

Syria can still reverse the course, if Syria has been more stable and has somewhat capable goal scorers that always shine in important moment. Yet in such a game like this, Syria always fails to keep momentum ahead and tends to phase out immediately.

This can surely be the reason why Iran is likely to own Syria in this encounter. Iran has a really difficult trip to Lebanon, but a necessary comeback in dying minutes delivered Iran just a needed three points, bringing Iran closer to Qatar 2022. The problem is, if Iran wants to be better, it has to do more than expectation.

This expectation is largely due to Iran's somewhat difficulties in scoring more than one goal. Outside against Iraq, Iran could only score just one. Yet, in spite of scoring weaknesses, Dragan Skočić was able to redevelop the team's solid defence. Now, just only gathering better goal feasts to add and Iran will surely be unstoppable in the route to Qatar.

In a very contesting test, Omar Kharbin has again risen to prominence, albeit in a situation where he found little helps from the struggling Syrian squad. Zenit's striker Sardar Azmoun, who scored against Juventus, is also the same player that begin Iran's comeback against Lebanon, and is likely to be the most dangerous player of Iran in the game.

Trivia: Nizar Mahrous both owns the best (5W, 2D in 2011) and the current worst record of the Syrian team in a year.

Group B

China vs Australia

With its home advantage unable to be restored due to quarantine law, China has played all out with just a 1-1 draw over Oman in Sharjah, thus unable to leapfrog the same opponent and put the Chinese in 5th, a place surely confirms an early elimination. This is not helped by the fact that China's defence is extremely fragile, with many goals conceded come from open space.

For this reason, China's poor forms can make it easily targeted by Australia, which is extremely hungry for three points. The Chinese are having a balanced H2H record against the same opponent in five recent meetings (2W, 1D, 2L), but the most recent 0-3 loss highlighted the gap that is unlikely to be broken anytime soon, considering how China displayed.

The Socceroos is in hurry when Japan has closed the gap with just a point separating, with their failure to gain three points over Saudi Arabia put Australia in an increasingly precarious position. Therefore, China represents a golden opportunity for Australia to keep up the pace and restore some parity after consecutive disappointing shows against fellow Asian powerhouses, especially with Japan, which has a trip deemed to be extremely tough in Oman.

Of course, the current squad of Australia is wrestling with injuries, but it is unlikely to change the fact that qualities of Australian players are still above that of Chinese peers. Don't be surprise if Australia is likely to empower the game against their Chinese rivals, again.

China's Wu Lei shone again as he scored the first goal in the game that China failed to protect its lead over Oman. Andrew Nabbout has just made its return to the Socceroos since 2019 and his physical prowess is likely to steer his team in such a confrontation.

Trivia: five most recent encounters between China and Australia saw more than two goals being delivered.

Oman vs Japan

Acquiring seven points after five matches, Oman is really making history as being the biggest surprise in the qualification. Branko Ivanković is doing a marvellous job when he injected a new, energetic young Omani squad to outperform the expectation.

This is definitely the fulcrum for Oman when they will return home in Muscat ready for the meeting over Japan, the opponent that Oman created a big 1-0 shock win away. The home advantage is always the biggest weapon Oman has, as Oman is confident in strength from home fans as the key for Oman's ongoing monstrous form. The diversity of Oman's scoring positions is also worth admiring, as Omani players have proven capable to score despite circumstances.

Japan's struggling 1-0 away win over pointless Vietnam provided a boost and further cemented the chair of Hajime Moriyasu, who has been facing potential sacking due to Japan's unimpressive record. However, it is not clear if Japan can do the same over Oman when the Omani side has always been in hot form at home.

This has coupled with numerous problems of Japan's connection in the side. The Japanese ability to score more than one goal is very questionable, even when it comes to Japan's 2-1 home triumph over Australia. Moriyasu's lack of a clear strategic development can be interpreted as a reason why Japan has underachieved in the qualification. With Australia and Saudi Arabia facing underperformed China and Vietnam, Japan has no choice but to do the best in order to survive the scare in Oman.

The Omani hosts are likely to rally with deadly set-pieces done by specialist Mohsin Al-Khaldi, who has been responsible for Oman's 1-1 draw over China. Junya Ito, meanwhile, joins the list with Yuya Osako and Ao Tanaka as Japan's only scorers throughout the qualifiers so far with the decisive winning goal in Hanoi.

Trivia: three of five games in the final round of Oman saw goals come in the injury times of either half.

Vietnam vs Saudi Arabia

Without a single point after five matches, Vietnam achieved a forgetful record as the first national team to win no point after the first leg in Asian zone of World Cup qualification. This is not helped, though, when Vietnam has been unable to embattle the likes of fairly weaker China and Oman, leave alone the Asian powerhouses in the group.

Pretty worrying for Vietnam is that they are the host team throughout November, but as hosts, Vietnam has failed to score a single goal, losing to Australia and Japan already with a similar 0-1 scoreline. The losing streak Vietnam is enduring, which is the longest under Park Hang-seo's tenure (6L), has made Vietnam an easy breadbasket. That means only a miraculous comeback could save Vietnam from an early elimination.

For this reason, the visiting Saudi Arabia, which has a red-hot form, especially with a successful goalless draw away to fellow giant Australia, is surely aware about the prospect of getting three points. Topping the group undefeated, Saudi Arabia has shown it is a very fearsome opponent and is looking closer to qualify for Qatar 2022.

The Saudis have proven why their strikers are capable, with three players already scored two goals. Hervé Renard's side has found itself repeating the best performance that Saudi Arabia once did back in 2006 qualifiers, when the Saudis qualified without losing a single game. With the struggling situation Vietnam is enduring, Saudi Arabia will not waste the opportunity.

As Vietnam's home difficulties are increasing, the hope for Vietnam to gain a win is definitely on the hand of no other but Nguyễn Tiến Linh, who has been proficient in the pointless first leg of the side. Saudi Arabia is looking for the run with captain Salman Al-Faraj, whose performance managed to silence 30,000 Australian fans in Sydney as Saudi Arabia claimed one point.

Trivia: Saudi Arabia's away wins in this WCQ have been mostly by one goal margin.