Qatar Football Association (QFA) president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani (left) and Qatar football national team coach Fahad Thani look on during a training session. RIGHT: Qatar football squad members warm up before their training session. Qatar will face Iran in a crucial FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifier tomorrow at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. Qatar are in fourth position, three points away from the two automatic positions for the Brazil showpiece event.
DOHA: After a two month gap, Qatar will be aiming to pick up maximum points against Iran as ‘Al Anabi’ resume their FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium with qualification still up for grabs.
Qatar, coached by Fahad Thani, have played two friendly matches since the Qatar Stars League (QSL) season ended in April. Qatar crushed Latvia 3-1 on May 24, before being held to a 1-1 draw against Azerbaijan five days later at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.
National Team Director Abdulrahman Al Mahmoud told Qatar Football Association (QFA) website, that the morale in the squad is high. Al Mahmoud said: “The morale of the boys is high after the two matches played against Latvia and Azerbaijan.”
He added: “But I urge the fans to come in large numbers and support the match against Iran. It is crucial they are there. We are ready for Iran. It won’t be easy but with the support of our fans, our team can win this match.”
Both of the friendly matches were part of the preparations for tomorrow’s match in which Thani said it is a ‘do-or-die’ affair.
“It is a do-or-die game against Iran. But as we know Iran played against Oman (and lost 3-0 recently). They didn’t field their regular players,” Thani told journalists before the Azerbaijan match.
He added: “We will analyse their performances from their matches in the qualifying campaign. Iran are good in defence. We are good too. We can cover great area.”
In Qatar’s last outing in the competition in March, Thani’s side put on a spirited display but a Son Heung Min strike deep into stoppage time denied Qatar a precious point in the 2-1 defeat against South Korea in Seoul.
As it stands, Qatar are in fourth position, three points away from the two automatic positions for the Brazil showpiece event. Qatar’s opponents, Iran, who arrived in Doha yesterday evening, are in third place with the same points tally but have played one game less.
Even if Qatar fail to finish in the top two, the third-placed spot in Group A, which consists of Uzbekistan, South Korea, Lebanon as well as Iran, is still up for grabs.
The third-placed side will play a two-legged play-off in September against the Group B third-placed side, to determine who will be the AFC participant in the Inter-Continental play-off against a nation from South America for a place in the World Cup in 2014. Group B of the Asian Zone qualifying consists of Japan, Jordan, Australia, Oman and Iraq.
The 2022 World Cup hosts, who have never qualified for the prestigious world football tournament will also travel to hosts Uzbekistan on June 18, who top Group B after three consecutive 1-0 victories.
QFA president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani attended Qatar’s training session on Saturday.
The squad held a training session at Aspire Academy in Doha and an afternoon practice at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.
Today, the squad will hold their main training session at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.
THE PENINSULA
