Doha: Striker Almoez Ali played a pivotal role in Qatar's first win in the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers, leading his team to a 3-1 victory over Kyrgyzstan at Al Thumama Stadium on October 10. Almoez opened the scoring in the 39th minute, breaking the deadlock, and later contributed an assist as Qatar earned their much-needed three points. The second goal came in the 63rd minute when Kyrgyzstan's Tamirlan Kozubaev accidentally turned the ball into his own net, doubling Qatar's lead. Despite Kyrgyzstan's Alimardon Shukurov pulling one back with a stunning strike in the 76th minute, substitute Ibrahim Al Hassan secured the win just five minutes later with a cool finish, following a well-placed assist from Almoez. The victory lifted Qatar to four points in Group A, where they now sit in fourth place. Uzbekistan tops the group, edging Iran on goal difference after a 0-0 draw in Tashkent. The UAE sits in third, tied on points with Qatar but ahead due to a superior goal difference, following their 1-1 draw with DPR Korea, who are fifth with two points. Kyrgyzstan remains at the bottom, suffering their third straight defeat. Qatar coach Marquez Lopez will be aiming for more precision from his team in their upcoming match against Iran on Tuesday, as they wasted several opportunities despite dominating against Kyrgyzstan with over two dozen attempts. “We created many chances and converted three of them, which was crucial. I'm pleased with the team’s overall performance and, most importantly, the three points,” said Lopez. Qatar’s star forward Akram Afif expressed optimism, stating, “This was a well-deserved win, and we’re grateful for the fans’ support. We’re fully focused on ourselves and now aim for a win against Iran.” Returning to the starting line-up were Abdelkarim Hassan, making his first national team appearance since the 2022 World Cup, and Boualem Khoukhi, adding depth to Qatar’s squad. Seeking redemption after a loss to the UAE and a draw against North Korea, Qatar began the match with intensity, dominating possession and creating multiple scoring opportunities. Almoez Ali capitalized on a chaotic corner kick to net the opener, and Qatar's relentless attacking play continued into the second half. Although Kyrgyzstan briefly threatened with a strike from Shukurov, Qatar responded swiftly, sealing their victory with a clinical goal from Ibrahim, once again assisted by the influential Almoez.