Qatar players during a training session yesterday.
Qatar just need a draw against Oman today to top Group E, but the reigning Asian champions will look to collect maximum points in their final game of the stage at the Joint Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.
Al Annabi sit on top of the group with 19 points after an unbeaten campaign from seven matches, and if they avoid a defeat today at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, they will seal their place as group leaders.
Oman – challenging the home side in a battle for top spot – have 12 points from five games and need a victory against Qatar to keep their chances of topping the group alive. The match will kick off at 8pm.
The Asian champions – coached by Felix Sanchez are heading into the game after their 1-0 victory against India on Thursday, while Oman have clinched wins over Thailand (1-0) and Indonesia (3-1) in friendlies ahead of the important match.
Qatar’s head coach Sanchez was hoping his side to continue with the good form they have maintained so far in the qualifying campaign.
“Oman is our main challenger in a contest to win group, which makes our last group match crucial,” Sanchez told a pre-match press conference yesterday.
“We will put our best effort to achieve good results in the match and conclude our group campaign on a high note,” the coach added.
Having defeated Oman 2-1 in the first leg at the Al Janoub Stadium in 2019, Qatar will go into the match with a psychological advantage. Sanchez, however, said players must show a strong performance against Oman.
“Oman have undergone changes and they are a strong side. We must be at our best in the match,” the head coach said.
“It is going to be a different game as compared to the previous games and our players are motivated and ready for the challenge. We will do our best to win the match,” Sanchez said yesterday.
According to the Qatar Football Association yesterday, team midfielder Salem Al Hajri will miss this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup due to injury.
“The team is supporting him and we hope him to recover as soon as possible and become available for the forthcoming matches,” said Sanchez.
Today’s other Group E match at the same venue will pit India and Bangladesh, who are competing for automatic places in the third round of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup. The match will start at 5pm.
India – placed fourth in the group – have three points from six matches while bottom-placed Bangladesh have earned only two points from as many matches.
The local organising committee of the event, which is being held under strict COVID-19 protocols, has allowed 30 percent crowd attendance for the matches.
