Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:Fabio Lima delivered a stunning four-goal performance, including a first-half hat-trick, as the United Arab Emirates defeated Qatar 5-0 in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The result consolidated the UAE’s third-place position in Group B of the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 2026, while dealing a blow to Qatar's World Cup hopes. The match started disastrously for Qatar as Lima opened the scoring in the fourth minute, capitalizing on Yahya Al Ghassani’s pinpoint delivery. He doubled the lead from the penalty spot just before halftime after Harib Abdalla was brought down. Moments later, Lima completed his hat-trick with a sublime free-kick in stoppage time, leaving Qatar’s goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham helpless. Lima added his fourth in the 56th minute, again from the penalty spot, after Barsham fouled Al Ghassani. Al Ghassani then sealed the dominant display with a composed finish in the 73rd minute. The Qatari squad entered the match buoyed by their last-minute win over Uzbekistan in Doha, but their momentum quickly unraveled. Currently fourth with seven points, they face an uphill battle for qualification, trailing Uzbekistan by three points and leaders Iran by six. Qatar’s Missed Chances Despite the scoreline, Qatar had moments of promise in the first half. Boualem Khouki’s free-kick sailed over the bar, and Mohammed Waad struck the post after a dazzling run by Akram Afif. However, their inability to capitalize on these chances proved costly as the UAE tightened their grip on the game. Qatar’s defensive frailties were exposed further when Bruno Oliveira’s rebound led to a penalty, coolly converted by Lima. The Brazil-born star then delivered a spectacular free-kick from 30 yards to complete his first-half treble. What’s Next? The UAE now sit on 10 points from six games, three behind Uzbekistan and six adrift of Iran, with the top two spots offering automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They’ll next face group leaders Iran in March. Qatar, meanwhile, will look to revive their qualifying bid with a must-win game against DPR Korea. With three games remaining, Paulo Bento’s side must rediscover the form that saw them crowned AFC Asian Cup™ champions in 2019.