Qatar players during a training session at Al Sadd Stadium in Doha. Qatar take on visitors Iran in their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the stadium today. Qatar and Iran are tied at seven points each but the visitors have played one game less and Qatar must win to face Brazil for the Cup.
BY RIZWAN REHMAT
DOHA: Qatar will rely on ‘teamwork’ and surging ‘confidence’ in their do-or-die 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against bitter rivals Iran today.
In a little over a week’s time, Qatar crushed Latvia 3-1 and then dominated Azerbaijan in a 1-1 draw as the home team emerged unscathed in two important friendly games.
Results from those two matches have boosted the morale of the players, head coach Fahad Thani said yesterday but the home team must win today to keep their hopes alive of reaching Brazil in 2014.
Third-placed Iran have seven points from five matches whereas Qatar, a notch below, also have a similar tally in Group A which is headed by Uzbekistan (11 points) and Korea (10 points).
Lebanon is the bottom side with just four points from six matches.
“I think the confidence you see (in the Qatar camp) is because we have done well in the last two weeks of preparation. Luck is important in football. Hopefully some of it would be on our side in the match,” Fahad said at a press conference yesterday.
“As you know it will be a tough game for both teams. But (with) regards to our team, we want to win this game.
“Our team has been improving a great deal. I am talking about improvement in many regards,” Fahad said.
Fahad admitted that Qatar would miss star striker Sebastian Soria who is suspended but will welcome back ace defender Mohammed Kasola.
Coach Fahad said teamwork was Qatar’s forte.
“Yes, Soria is a great player but we believe in teamwork. Soria is not here but we are playing as a unit. We won’t be affected by his absence,” the Qatari coach added quickly.
Iran coach Carlos Queiroz, who presented a calm exterior at the press conference, said he anticipated a tough match at Al Sadd Stadium.
“We know that it will be a difficult game for both teams but I am very positive and confident we can get a good result in Qatar,” Queiroz said.
Queiroz, the former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United a few years ago, dismissed the notion that his squad had issues during the training camp in the UAE. “Absolutely, we are ready. We got what we were looking for from our camp. We are ready.
“Yes, one or two players are injured. All players were present in the camp,” the 60-year-old said.
“For us, qualification is important. We have three games to go whereas Qatar have two. We are better placed than them,” he said.
But he quickly added: “At this moment everybody in the group can be in (automatic qualification) and everybody can be out. So it’s still open for all the teams. It’s my major goal in this moment of my career to qualify Iran for the World Cup.”
Earlier in the week, Queiroz said in a separate interview: “It’s a major dream for all countries to qualify to the World Cup and, of course, the expectation in Iran is very high because it’s a football country with a lot of passion,”
Fahad said Qatar players had the advantage over speed compared to the Iranians whom he considered physically superior.
“What pleases me is that our players have speed,” Fahad said when asked to compare the two sides.
“They can counterattack with speed and that is a good asset to have. Speed is important. Iranian players are physically strong but we have very good speed,” he explained.
“Our team is better and faster in sprints compared to the visitors. Our counterattack speed is very noticeable. I am not worried on that account. I just require speed,” he said.
He added that careful planning had gone into finalizing match tactics.
“I wanted (defender) Mohammed Kasola. He is an important player with a lot of experience. He did well for Al Sadd during the Emir Cup and the Heir Apparent Cup,” Fahad said.
“Soria is suspended so he can’t play against Iran. But we have replacements. I am not talking about one player. We have a decent bunch of players who could replace Soria. However, the team will play as a group.
“Yusuf and Maged Mohammed are long-time national team players. I needed them in this side. Bilal Mohammed is back as well,” the Qatari coach said.
“We have youngsters in our side and they are getting good experience. They are mixing well with the seniors. It is important to a have mix of young an old,” the Qatari coach said. “It is a do-or-die game against Iran. It is the duty of Qatar fans to turn up and support their side. I hope they won’t be seeing a disappointing result.” THE PENINSULA
