2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC fourth round#Goalscorers

Since the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification, the last round of the Asian qualifiers (in this case, the fourth round) had consisted of a matchup between two teams coming from a previous round, and the winning team would represent AFC in the intercontinental play-offs (except the 1998 campaign, in which the play-off winners qualified directly for the FIFA World Cup, while the losers advanced to the intercontinental play-off).

The United Arab Emirates had previously played once at this stage; they faced Iran in the 2002 play-off and lost 0–4 on aggregate. Australia had also previously played at this stage once; it was the previous 2018 edition, where they defeated Syria 3–2 on aggregate.{{cite news |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/asian_qualifiers/news/afc_asian_qualifiers_4_classic_playoffs.html |title=Asian Playoffs: 4 Classic Encounters |publisher=Asian Football Confederation |date=2 June 2022}}

This was the third match between the United Arab Emirates and Australia in AFC World Cup qualifying, with the previous two meetings being Australian victories (both in the 2018 qualifiers).{{cite news |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/asian_qualifiers/news/preview_-_asian_playoff_united_arab_emirates_v_australia.html |title=Preview - Asian Playoff: United Arab Emirates v Australia |publisher=Asian Football Confederation |date=6 June 2022}}

In the fourth round, the two third-placed teams from the third round competed in a single-match play-off. Since the fourth round format was changed from two-legged tie to a single-match at a neutral venue, the game was played under the single-leg play-off rules from the preliminary competition, with extra time of two periods of 15 minutes would be played if the match was tied after the regular time of 90 minutes, followed by a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner if the match still tied after extra time (Regulations Article 20.11).{{cite web|url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/517ef2ad2bc3665e/original/ytkbpnxyvcghx6bebesv-pdf.pdf|title=REGULATIONS FIFA World Cup 2022 Preliminary Competition Including COVID-19 Regulations|publisher=FIFA|date=29 September 2020}}

The winner advanced to the intercontinental play-offs that was held on six days later also in Qatar.{{cite news |url=https://en.as.com/en/2021/11/26/soccer/1637955253_226019.html |title=2022 World Cup inter-confederation play-off draw: fixtures and format |last=Allen |first=William |work=as.com |date=26 November 2021 |access-date=30 November 2021}}

The United Arab Emirates qualified for the fourth round after finishing third of Group A in the third round. Previously, they had won their group in the second round, winning six and losing two of their eight matches, leaving Vietnam (by only 1 point), Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia behind. In the third round, the UAE were part of Group A, alongside Iran, South Korea, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. They finished third with 12 points and a record of 3 wins, 3 draws and 4 losses, behind Iran and South Korea who qualified directly for the final tournament.{{cite web |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/asian_qualifiers/news/afc_asian_qualifiers_road_to_qatar_playoff_-_uae_v_australia_how_they_got_there.html |title=AFC Asian qualifiers Road to Qatar Playoff - UAE v Australia: How They Got There |publisher=Asian Football Confederation |date=5 June 2022}}

Australia also qualified by finishing third in the third round (Group B). Previously, they had won their group in the second round, winning all eight of their matches and taking a 10-point lead over Kuwait and Jordan in second and third place respectively, with Nepal and Chinese Taipei far behind. In the third round, Australia were part of Group B, alongside Saudi Arabia, Japan, Oman, China PR and Vietnam. They finished third with 15 points and a record of 4 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses, behind Saudi Arabia and Japan who qualified directly for the final tournament.

The United Arab Emirates started the qualification process with Dutchman Bert van Marwijk. However, he was sacked on 12 February 2022 after the team ran out of direct qualification options as Iran and South Korea had secured the first two places of Group A in the third round.{{cite tweet|author=United Arab Emirates Football Association|user=uaefa_ae|number=1492462862454898689|title=اتحاد الكرة يُقيل الجهاز الفني للمنتخب الوطني...|trans-title=The Football Association dismisses the technical staff of the national team...|date=12 February 2022|language=ar}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gulftoday.ae/sport/2022/02/12/van-marwijk-fired-as-uae-coach-for-second-time|title=Van Marwijk fired as UAE coach for second time|publisher=Gulf Today|date=13 February 2022}} Argentine Rodolfo Arruabarrena was announced as the UAE's new coach one day later,{{cite web|url=https://www.uaefa.ae/news/29926|title=رودولفو أروابارينا مدرباً لمنتخبنا الوطني الأول|trans-title=Rodolfo Arruabarrena, coach of our first national team|publisher=United Arab Emirates Football Association|date=13 February 2022|language=ar}} while Australia kept Graham Arnold as their coach throughout the process.

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{{football box

|id=United Arab Emirates v Australia

|date={{Start date|2022|6|7|df=y}}

|time={{UTZ|21:00|3}}

|team1={{fb-rt|UAE}}

|score=1–2

|report=[https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/afc/match-center/400235362 Report (FIFA)]
[https://www.the-afc.com/en/matches/fifa-world-cup/2022/2283469 Report (AFC)]

|team2={{fb|AUS}}

|goals1=Caio {{goal|57}}

|goals2=

• Irvine {{goal|53}}
• Hrustic {{goal|84}}

|stadium=Ahmad bin Ali Stadium

|location=Al Rayyan (Qatar)

|attendance=6,500

|referee=Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)

}}

|valign="top"|

|valign="top" width="50%"|

|}

{{#invoke:Goalscorers|main|2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|round=fourthround}}

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers|Official FIFA World Cup website}}
• [https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers/afc Qualifiers – Asia Matches: Round 4], FIFA.com
• [https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/fifa_world_cup.html FIFA World Cup], the-AFC.com
• [http://stats.the-afc.com/tournaments/422 FIFA World Cup 2022], stats.the-AFC.com

{{2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers}}

{{Australia national soccer team matches}}

{{United Arab Emirates national football team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2022 FIFA World Cup qualification - AFC fourth round}}

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Category:2022 in Asian football

Category:Australia men's national soccer team matches

Category:United Arab Emirates national football team matches

FIFA World Cup qualification, AFC Round 4

Category:International association football competitions hosted by Qatar

Category:Sport in Al Rayyan

Category:Association football events postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Category:Australia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup