DOHA: QSL champions Al Sadd are wary of an Al Rayyan backlash when the two football giants meet in the first semi-final of the Heir Apparent Cup at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
Al Rayyan failed to go past the group phase of the AFC Champions League and Al Sadd coach Hussain Amute feels his opponents today would be eager to make amends for their poor showing in Asia’s premier club event.
“Al Rayyan are very strong. They didn’t qualify for the next stage of the Champions League. That is sad for all of us because Al Rayyan represent Qatar,” Amute said.
“Now I am expecting a reaction from Al Rayyan in this game. We will do our best to reach the final. This is our target,” the Al Sadd coach.
Amute urged his players to avoid making mistakes they committee in last year’s semi-final against the same opponents.
“We lost last year against Al Rayyan at the same phase but it was on penalties. That’s why we must be focus until the last minute of the game,” he said.
“We need to be motivated and make sure we make no mistakes. It’s important we take advantage from attacks.
“We have confidence after our success winning the league but now this is another competition to focus on.
“It is a very important game. Whenever we play Al Rayyan there are goals and chances.
“Especially when we know Al Rayyan will be strong. They are competing for trophies and lost the QSL title so we have to stop them from reacting to that,” the Al Sadd coach said.
“I always ask my players to be concentrated in every match. In the last (QSL) game, we lost 4-1 but we didn’t play badly.
“We had five chances to score and didn’t take them. The difference was Al Rayyan took their chances.
“Our job is to motivate and train the players but we have to control their reactions as well.
“I have already talked with the players and we are in a good condition and mentally prepared. Hopefully we can be in the final. I am sure this game will be fun for all,” Amute said.
After their exit from the AFC Champions League and failure to win the QSL title, Al Rayyan are training their guns on the remaining two events of the season - the Heir Apparent Cup and the Emir Cup.
“Now this event becomes even more important because we failed to qualify for the next stage of the Champions League. This is a must-win event for us now,” Al Rayyan coach Diego Aguirre said yesterday.
“In these kinds of games we don’t need to try and motivate the players. They are already motivated by the name of the competition,” Aguirre added when asked about the mood in his camp.
“Al Sadd are the best team in the league so we don’t have to say anything to the players for this game.”
“It’s going to be a difficult match. I don’t know if we will win or lose but it will be a beautiful match for all. I feel like we had the balance of the team correct in the AFC Champions League. We played some good games, we just didn’t get good results. That was frustrating.
“In football the only thing that matters is the result. We are not afraid of Al Sadd. We want to keep the Cup which we won last time. This will save the season,” Aguirre said.
