DOHA: Qatar football coach Daniel Carreno yesterday said his players should have the same desire to win they showed in the first six 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying game.
Points leaders Qatar host second-placed Hong Kong in a 2018 FIFA World Cup, Asian Zone qualifying campaign tomorrow.
Also known as ‘Al Anabi’, Qatar are unbeaten in six Group C Asian Zone qualifying matches and have 18 points and are leading the group ahead of Hong Kong.
“The fact that we have been winning does not mean we will not play with same zeal,” Carreno said to his players prior to a team training session yesterday.
“It is very important for us to retain our focus. We will play with same zeal and desire to win all future games,” he said.
Carreno welcomed the national squad to Aspire Academy where the team usually trains and undergoes fitness drills. The national team players have a break from their Qatar Stars League (QSL) duties with the games against Hong Kong and China coming up this week.
The squad that was announced two days ago will undergo fitness tests while they train under the watchful eyes of Carreno who took over as coach in May last year.
Carreno will address a press conference today.
The Group C clash is set to take place at Doha’s state-of-the-art Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium where the two sides will play their return clash of this qualifying campaign.
In the first qualifying clash played at Mongkok Stadium in Kowloon, Hong Kong on September last year, visiting Qatar side beat Hong Kong 3-2 to pick up crucial points in the Group C.
Qatar are unbeaten in six matches in Group C, beating Maldives, Bhutan, Hong Kong and China P R over the course of last nine months.
Carreno’s side began their qualifying campaign by edging Maldives 1-0 in June last year followed by wins against Hong Kong and Bhutan in September.
In October last year, Qatar beat China and Maldives followed by a win against Bhutan in November.
Hong Kong, coached by Kim Pangon, is placed second behind Qatar’s 18 points with a tally of 14 from seven matches.
Pangon’s Hong Kong launched their campaign by thrashing Bhutan in June followed by a win over Madlives a week later. In September Hong Kong and China played a goalless draw. Five days later, Qatar beat Hong Kong but the West Asian side recovered with a win over Bhutan in October. Hong Kong edged Maldives in November followed by another goalless draw against China the same month.
The Peninsula
