(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ABU DHABI, Aug 29 (KUNA) -- The UAE, with a 2-1 home victory over Saudi Arabia, came three points closer to their second-placed group rivals on Tuesday as they boosted their chances for automatic World Cup qualification but had a player sent off late in the match.
It took the UAE just two minutes to equalise through Ali Mabkhout after Nawaf Al-Abed's opener in the middle of the first half of the match held at Abu Dhabi's Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.
Ahmed Khalil struck 15 minutes into the second half to edge the Saudis, with only one group match left for his side in Iraq.
The Emiratis will however make the journey without left back Mahmoud Khamees, who was shown a second yellow card in the second minute of added time.
The White Jerseys raised their tally to 13 points in Group B, trailing three points behind second-placed Saudi Arabia who are equal on points with Australia.
The first and second teams out of the two Asian groups gain automatic qualification to the global footballing spectacle scheduled in Russia in the summer of 2018.
Meanwhile the winner of a match pitting the third-placed teams enter a face-off against a side from the North and Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF) qualifiers.
A win over Iraq will give the UAE 16 points, putting them within grasp of a second-placed finish, providing they improve on a two-goal deficit as Saudi Arabia and Australia both have six goals each.
Australia, who have two games in hand, will first travel to face group leaders Japan then play host to bottom of the group Thailand as Saudi Arabia host Japan. (end) bsu.sd
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