Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Qatar suffered a disappointing 4-1 defeat against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ - Road to 2026 World Cup on Tuesday, despite taking an early lead. Almoez Ali's stunning strike in the 17th minute put Qatar ahead, but Iran's Sardar Azmoun turned the tide, scoring twice and setting up a third to help Iran secure all three points in Dubai.   Qatar looked promising in the early stages, with Ali's spectacular first-time shot finding the roof of the net after a pinpoint long ball from Lucas Mendes. The goal marked a strong start for the reigning AFC Asian Cup™ champions, who seemed poised to build on their advantage. Moments later, Boualem Khoukhi nearly doubled the lead, his header rattling the crossbar just before halftime.   However, Iran found an equalizer three minutes before the break when Azmoun headed home from Omid Noorafkan's cross. The Iranians then took control early in the second half, with Azmoun capitalizing on a defensive mix-up to give his side the lead. Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham collided with a teammate while attempting to clear a looping cross, allowing Azmoun to slot the ball into an empty net.   Qatar struggled to respond, and Azmoun’s creative play continued to cause problems. In the 65th minute, he broke through the Qatari defense and set up Mohammad Mohebbi, who calmly placed the ball into the net. Iran sealed the victory in the dying moments, as Mohebbi’s glancing header from a corner took a deflection to find the back of the net eight minutes into stoppage time. The result leaves Qatar with four points from their first four matches, while Iran remains level with Uzbekistan at the top of Group A with 10 points. Despite flashes of promise, Qatar’s campaign has faltered, with the team needing to regroup and find a way to bounce back in the upcoming fixtures.