A late Jong Il-gwan goal, just four minutes from time, denied the UAE a vital win in their World Cup qualifier against DPR Korea, ending the clash at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in a 1-1 draw.
Jong, introduced from the bench only ten minutes earlier, looked to have been thwarted by a brilliant Khalid Eisa save, but was adamant the ball had crossed the line.
With goal-line technology seemingly out of action, referee Adham Makhadmeh, after consulting with VAR, awarded the goal moments later much to the delight of DPR Korea’s bench.
Earlier in the match, the UAE had broken the deadlock in the 66th minute through substitute Yahya Al Ghassani.
The winger made an immediate impact after latching onto a precise through ball from full-back Abdulla Hamad just two minutes after being sent on.
Al Ghassani surged down the wing before cutting inside, driving at the heart of the Korean defence and calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
His introduction had breathed life into what had been a largely uneventful game for the first hour, with both sides struggling to find any rhythm. It wasn’t until the 49th minute that either team registered a shot on target.
Just ten minutes after the UAE took the lead, DPR Korea had a golden chance to level the score when Hamad was penalised for a foul in the box after the referee reviewed the incident on the pitch-side monitor.
However, the opportunity was wasted, as Kwang Son-Han's weak penalty was comfortably saved by Eisa, who dived low to his right, preserving the UAE's slender advantage.
Yet, the Koreans were not to be denied. With time running out, Jong Il-gwan’s header found the back of the net, rescuing a point for DPR Korea in dramatic fashion.
The draw leaves Paulo Bento’s UAE side in third place in Group A with four points, trailing both Iran and Uzbekistan, who sit above the Whites with seven points each.
The UAE will next face Uzbekistan on Tuesday, as they look to close the gap on the group leaders and keep their hopes of qualifying for just a second World Cup finals on track.
