The UAE will require a monumental effort in Basra on Tuesday night to maintain their World Cup qualification hopes after being held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq in Abu Dhabi.
The two sides are vying to extend their bid to make it to the finals in North America next summer.
The winner of their home and away play-off will advance to the final, six-team qualifying event in Mexico in March. That competition will decide the last sides to progress to the main event in the summer.
The high stakes made for a nervy evening at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium in the capital, when 32,008 supporters came to will their sides on. But despite their best intentions, most spent as much time biting their nails as they did cheering.
There were plenty of pointers as to the magnitude of the occasion. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed was there to watch, with a UAE flag tied around his neck.
A military band was employed on the field to play the national anthems, after which the home fans unveiled a carefully choreographed tifo.
Supporters had been up till 4am the previous night getting it ready. When it happened, a banner was unfurled in the top tier of the main stand, which said “Time to …” with a massive falcon taking flight underneath.
For all their efforts, almost everyone of a UAE affiliation, fans and players alike, seemed struck by tension rather than inspiration.
Another banner, at the front of the main stand, pointed out what was at stake: “The nation’s dream since the 90s.”
The burden of expectation continues to weigh heavily, and the hosts looked to be subsiding when they went behind as early as the 10th minute.
Their central failing from defeat in Qatar last month returned as they were unable to clear a cross from a free kick, and Ali Al Hamadi could not miss from in front of goal.
Nerves were clearly racing, yet the UAE managed to hit back shortly after. In the 18th minute, Luan Pereira levelled when he finished decisively with his head from a right-wing cross by Abdullah Ramadan.
The UAE might not have been in this position had Luan been fully fit for purpose in Doha, when they were edged out of direct qualification.
He mostly had been consigned to a watching brief in the play-off in Doha last month as he was recuperating from injury.
Although his goal gave them a foothold in the game, the home team remained loose. It required two brilliant saves from Khalid Essa to keep the scores level as the UAE struggled with the directness of Iraq’s attacks.
The hosts did not help themselves. They gave up possession far too easily in dangerous positions in their own half, and were reliant on their goalkeeper – as well as luck – to stay in the game.
Essa was at full stretch to maintain parity at the start of the second half, too, but thereafter the UAE finally began to assume some semblance of control.
As the half wore on, Cosmin Olaroiu, the manager, gradually introduced more and more attacking options.
By the time there were 20 minutes left, they had four forwards on: Caio Lucas, Ali Saleh, Bruno De Oliveira and Sultan Adil.
They poured shots towards the Iraq goal, but all were bravely repelled by defenders putting their bodies in harm’s way.
Deep into injury time, the UAE pressure nearly told. After a succession of free kicks they did finally bundle the ball into the Iraq goal, only for Caio Lucas’ close range effort to be ruled out for offside.
