Doha, Qatar: Qatar began full-fledged preparations for a decisive Group B clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina at Seattle Stadium on Wednesday, with their FIFA World Cup knockout hopes hanging in the balance.
After opening their campaign with a late 1-1 draw against group favourites Switzerland, Qatar briefly showed resilience in a tightly contested group.
However, momentum was halted in their second outing as they suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat to tournament’s co-hosts Canada on Thursday, a result that pushed them to the bottom of the standings.
With the top two teams from each of the 12 groups advancing to the Round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed sides, Qatar still remain in contention. But they will be looking to bounce back strongly to keep their chances of progressing alive.
The task, however, is demanding and Qatar will need an improved performance in all departments after defensive lapses and disciplinary setbacks proved costly against Canada.
Head coach Julen Lopetegui has turned his attention quickly to recovery and preparation, with the squad moving into full training mode after recovery sessions. Qatar will be without Homam Al Amin and Assim Madibo, both suspended following red cards in the previous match, adding to the challenge for the technical staff.
Bosnia-Herzegovina are in a similar situation, having one point from two matches. They drew 1-1 with Canada in their opening game before falling 4-1 to Switzerland, leaving both sides under pressure heading into a crucial clash.
Despite the setback against Canada, Lopetegui stressed the importance of regrouping quickly.
“I can put the focus on the only thing that is under my control, (which) is to recover my players, to tell them that they made a big effort, despite all the circumstances, and to be able to face in the best way possible the last group match,” he said.
Qatar have now turned the page on the heavy defeat and are fully focused on Bosnia-Herzegovina, knowing only a win will realistically keep their knockout hopes alive going into the final round of group fixtures.
