Qatar football squad listen to instructions from coach Fahad Thani (wearing a cap) during a training session, the day before the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan, yesterday.
Taskhkent: Qatar are focused on putting on a good performance that would do ‘Qatari football proud’, coach Fahad Thani said ahead of their final FIFA World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan today.
Qatar saw their hopes of reaching their first World Cup come to an end after a 1-0 home defeat to Iran two weeks ago.
However, Fahad insists his team, who have already been assured of fourth spot in Group A, will be aiming to end the qualifying campaign on a high.
Fahad said in a pre-match press conference in Tashkent yesterday: “We want to play beautiful football and do Qatari football proud. Our aim is to play our game.”
The Qatari coach added: “We respect our opponent but we will look to play well. We have motivation and we are concentrating on the game. If we begin the match with an attacking approach that might be a mistake for us so we will look to play well throughout.”
Fahad insists he wants to make the 2022 World Cup hosts one of the strongest countries in the region.
He said: “We have good plans for the future. We want to be one of the strongest teams in Asia and we are looking to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifying games.”
The last time the two sides met was in October with Uzbekistan walking away with a 1-0 victory at Al Sadd Stadium.
Later, Uzbekistan built on the success in Doha with two consecutive 1-0 victories against Lebanon and Iran that briefly put today’s hosts on top of Group A.
However, Uzbekistan, coached by Mirdjalal Kasimov, now occupy third spot, two points behind Iran, and must win today’s match to have any hope of qualifying.
Still in with a chance of reaching the world showpiece event in Brazil next June, Kasimov said his side will ‘give their best’ when they go onto the pitch. Kasimov said: “We only have one target and that is to qualify for the World Cup. The players are ready and they will give their best.”
He added: “The players have huge motivation for the match. We want to go to Brazil and we will fight until the end.”
South Korea, who only need a draw to secure qualification, top the group by one point ahead of second-placed Iran, who they face today. Iran, coached by former Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz, could also qualify with a draw providing Uzbekistan fail to defeat Qatar.
The Uzbekistan coach is wary of Qatar, who will be without injured striker Sebastian Soria. He said: “Qatar have some problems but they have good players and they do not have any pressure which maybe useful for them.”
He added: “We will look to play attacking football and score goals by paying more attention to attacking.”
Even if Uzbekistan miss out on the automatic spots, the Central Asians will play a two-legged match against the third-placed side from Group B, with the winner entering an intercontinental play-off for a spot for Brazil.
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