UAE fall to Uzbekistan in World Cup qualifiers as Australia hold Japan

Otabek Shukurov’s late penalty against the UAE ensured Uzbekistan maintained their unbeaten start to Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Central Asians secured a 1-0 win over 10-man United Arab Emirates in Tashkent.

Shukurov converted from the spot in the 76th minute with the visitors already shorthanded following Abdulla Hamad’s sending off 11 minutes earlier for a dangerous challenge on Sherzod Nasrullaev.

The win keeps Uzbekistan in pole position in the standings with 10 points from their opening four games as they continue their quest for a first-ever berth at the FIFA World Cup while the UAE, who last qualified for in 1990, remain on four points.

Elsewhere, Australia brought Japan's winning run to a halt as Tony Popovic's side eked out a 1-1 draw with the Group C leaders while South Korea continued their winning run with a 3-2 victory over Iraq in Group B.

The Japanese had won nine consecutive World Cup qualifiers without conceding but Shogo Taniguchi put Lewis Miller's low cross into his own goal in the 58th minute to give the Socceroos an unexpected lead.

Popovic, in his second game in charge since replacing Graham Arnold last month, had set his side up in an ultra-defensive formation and looked to hold on to their advantage.

But substitute Keito Nakamura eventually unlocked the Socceroos' defence with 14 minutes remaining, dancing through the backline before powering the ball across the face of goal for Cameron Burgess to deflect into his own net.

The result moves Japan, looking for an eighth successive World Cup qualification, onto 10 points from four games with the Australians five points behind in second place and Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, who play later on Tuesday, a point further adrift.

China picked up their first win in Group C as Branko Ivankovic's side defeated Indonesia 2-1 in Qingdao with first half goals from Behram Abduweli and Zhang Yuning securing the three points.