Tribune News Network
Doha
Hosts Qatar will be keen to continue their purple patch when they face United Arab Emirates in their opening AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 Group A tie at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Thursday.
Capacity crowd is expected at the 45,000 seater World Cup stadium for the highly anticipated contest which kicks off at 7pm.
Al Annabi have followed up their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 triumph by qualifying for the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers with two matches to spare and head into their crucial Group A opener against UAE on the back of an 11-match unbeaten run.
To secure a direct spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Qatar need to finish in the top two of their group, which also includes Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and North Korea.
The two-time AFC Asian Cup champions will see the return of key players Akram Afif and Almoez Ali to action, after head coach Marquez Lopez chose to rest several stars during the final two second-round fixtures against Afghanistan and India.
Qatar, looking to qualify for the global showpiece on merit after having made their debut as hosts of the 2022 edition, will not be short of confidence with Ali – who topped the scoring charts with seven goals alongside South Korea Son Heung-min in the second round and Afif - who won the AFC Asian Cup Golden Boot - key figures to their campaign.
Addressing the media on eve of the clash, coach Lopez chose caution while being confident of his team.
“Our group is tough and all teams have an equal chance to qualify but we have confidence in our players and their abilities,” said the Spaniard.
About the opposition, he said, “We have studied our opponent well, and we have experience with these teams in the Asian Cup. All of us are ready for this encounter and we have players capable of making a difference.”
Lopez also anticipated big home support while thanking fans. “We thank the fans for their continuous support, and we hope they show up in large numbers to support the team in achieving our goal,” he said.
One of Qatar’s star players, Almoez stressed that while the team has the experience they are chasing a bigger dream now. “All the players are ready for the qualifiers. We have won the Asian Cup twice in a row, but our bigger goal now is to qualify for the World Cup,” he said.
“The players are excited, and the atmosphere in training is positive. We have the drive to achieve victories,” said Almoez on the team’s readiness for the UAE clash.
He also called on the fans to provide the extra motivation. “The fans are the primary and most important motivation for the players, and their presence in the stands with the team pushes us to give our best,” he said.
The UAE are seeking a second appearance at the global showpiece, having come agonisingly close to qualifying for the Qatar 2022 edition with Australia ending their campaign in the Asian playoff.
The 2022 heartbreak has fueled Paulo Bento’s side, who cruised into the AFC Asian Qualifiers with two matches to spare.
The Emiratis, however, have not beaten Qatar since their 4-1 triumph in the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 but Bento will believe his side have the quality to end their long wait.
The Portuguese coach Bento hoped for a focused performance from his team. “Playing away from home requires us to rely on the principle of caution and focus on discipline in order to obtain a satisfactory result at the beginning of the journey,” he said while addressing the media on Wednesday.
“We have a very difficult task ahead of us against the Qatari team, which has great organizational quality and is led by a coach with great experience,” he added.
UAE’s centre-back Khalifa Al Hammadi said the team aspires to keep their dream alive.
“Everyone is ready and Qatar are one of the elite teams on the continent. We aspire to achieve a result that fulfils our ambition of reaching the World Cup which is the dream of all players as well as all our fans,” he said.
