Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2026 World Cup qualifier match.
It's evident that greater expectations were placed on Qatar at the onset of the third qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup. The reigning champions of the Asian Cup come into their match with Kyrgyzstan having secured just one point from a possible six in their first two fixtures.
Qatar
Against the United Arab Emirates (1:3) and North Korea (2:2), Qatar's defence made several errors that their attack couldn't compensate for. In the first game, Bartolomé Márquez's plan worked until the final stretch when the opposition scored three consecutive goals. Facing North Korea in Vientiane, even an early red card for the opposition didn't help Qatar as the underdog managed to equalise with ten men, preserving the draw. It seems likely that Qatar will continue to be inconsistent at the back.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan's poor start to the current qualification round can be attributed to the generally weak quality of their squad. Against Iran (0:1) and Uzbekistan (2:3) — the group leaders — the team couldn't successfully defend even in a 5-3-2 formation. In both matches, they had possession for less than 38% of the time, finding it easier to create chances on the counterattack, though scoring two goals from three on-target shots against Uzbekistan.
Qatar vs Kyrgyzstan Prediction
Motivated Qatar should confidently handle Kyrgyzstan. While the underdog might catch the favourite off guard, there's no guarantee in the hosts’ victory, but the total over 2.5 goals outcome seems assured.
