Khalid Issa: The Lowest-Rated Al-Abyad Player in the Qatar Match

UAE's national football team goalkeeper Khalid Eisa received the lowest rating among all players in the crucial World Cup qualifier against Qatar, scoring just 4.4 out of 10 according to FotMob statistics. The UAE lost 2-1, missing direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup after Eisa's costly mistake led to Qatar's winning goal.

The goalkeeper faced harsh criticism on social media from local fans who blamed him for the loss and the missed opportunity to qualify directly for the 2026 tournament. His error came in the 74th minute when he made a wrong decision to leave his goal, allowing Qatar's Pedro Miguel to score the decisive second goal.

This performance was a sharp contrast to Eisa's previous showing against Oman in the first playoff match, where he earned a 7.2 rating with several crucial saves that helped the UAE win 2-1.

The statistics revealed an interesting pattern in the Qatar match - substitute players who entered in the second half performed significantly better than the starters. Fabio Lima topped the ratings with 8.8, while Sultan Adel, who scored the UAE's only goal, received 7.6.

None of the starting players stood out as expected. Their ratings ranged between 6.0 and 6.7, indicating a general decline in performance levels that contributed to the team's failure to secure World Cup qualification from Doha.

Despite the loss, UAE dominated several match statistics. The Asian Football Confederation's detailed report showed the UAE had 59% possession compared to Qatar's 41%. The team also outperformed Qatar in total shots (15 vs 7), successful passes (346 vs 211), and corner kicks (2 vs 1). However, Qatar was more clinical with three shots on target compared to the UAE's four.

The defeat means the UAE must now face Iraq in the Asian playoff to determine which team advances to the intercontinental playoff for a chance at World Cup qualification.

**Player Ratings:**

Starting XI: Khalid Eisa (4.4), Alaa Al-Din Zuhair (6.7), Pimenta (6.5), Kwame (6.1), Robin (6.0), Jimenez (5.9), Yahya Nader (6.8), Meloni (6.5), Caio Lucas (6.7), Caio Canedo (6.1), Ali Saleh (6.2)

Substitutes: Fabio Lima (8.8), Hareb Abdullah (6.2), Eric Menezes (6.4), Sultan Adel (7.6), Luan Pereira (6.3)

The result keeps Qatar's World Cup hopes alive while the UAE faces an uncertain path through additional playoff rounds.