Qatar, Iran get set for World Cup qualifier
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Loading...The Peninsula – DOHA, The Qatar football squad and the visiting Iranian team yesterday hit the training pitches in two separate sessions ahead of their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on Thursday.
With just two days to go for the key Asian Zone qualifying match at Al Sadd Stadium, both squads trained under the watchful gaze of coaches Jorge Fossati and Carlos Queiroz.
Qatar, coached by Fossati, on Sunday played a friendly game with the national Olympic squad, whereas Iran – managed by Queiroz – arrived in Doha on Saturday.
Four days ago, coach Fossati brought together players of the national junior and senior teams ahead of the side’s two qualifying matches this week.
A news report said Fossati had been keen not to over-train the national team players since some of the names have been playing non-stop in the Qatar Stars League (QSL) besides featuring in AFC Champions League clashes as well.
“I’ll be careful not to overwork the Al Rayyan and Lekhwiya players,” Fossati said at the time. Fossati said taking care of key players was key in his planning for the two games.
Following their game against Iran, Qatar will play Uzbekistan (away clash) on March 28.
Two days ago, Qatar Football Association (QFA) President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani attended the national team training session at Lekhwiya Stadium.
The QFA President met with Fossati and engaged the national team players in a brief chat session. A team official said the QFA President met the players to give them confidence ahead of what will be two key games for the national side.
Besides their friendly on Sunday, last week Qatar lost to Azerbaijan 2-1 in a friendly at Al Sadd Stadium.
The Iranians currently lead Group A by a solitary point from second-placed Korea Republic. Following their clash on March 23, Quiroz’s side will host China at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran five days later. The list of 23 players chosen by head coach Queiroz does not, however, include the influential Ashkan Dejagah who has been ruled out following the calf injury he sustained while playing for Bundesliga side Wolfsburg last month.
Quiroz will have enough ‘local’ inside information on Qatari tactics since two of his players Montazeri (Al Ahli) and Morteza Pouraliganji (Al Sadd) ply their trade in the Qatar Stars League.
Qatar Squad:
Hassan Al Haydos, Saad Abdullah Al Sheeb, Ibrahim Abdul Magid, Pedro Miguel, Hamid Ismail, Ali Asad, Mohammed Kasola, Karim Boudiaf, Ahmed Yasser, Asim Umar, Mohammed Musa, Luis Martin, Ali Hassan Afif, Ali Zainabuddin, Khizar Kamal, Abdul Matal, Sebastian Soria, Rodrigo Tabata, Umar Bari, Mishal Abdullah, Ahmed Mohammed, Yasser Abubakr, Khalifa Abubakr, Al Hadi Ali, Yusuf Hussain, Bualem Khoukhi, Akram Ali Afif and Fahad Ali. Coach: Jorge Fossati
Iran Squad:
Alireza Beiranvand, Mohammadreza Akhbari, Rashid Mazaheri, Ramin Rezaeian, Vouria Ghafouri, Jalal Hosseini, Pejman Montazeri, Morteza Pouraliganji, Ezatollah Pourghaz, Milad Mohammadi, Mohammad Ansari, Ehsan Hajsafi, Saeid Ezatollahi, Ali Karimi, Omid Ebrahimi, Masoud Shojaei, Sardar Azmoun, Reza Ghoochannejhad, Karim Ansarifard, Mehdi Taremi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Vahid Amiri, Sasan Ansari. Coach: Carlos Queiroz
