DOHA: Qatar coach Daniel Carreno wants his players to up the ante against China on Match 29 when the two sides clash in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash.
Points leaders Qatar beat Hong Kong 2-0 in Doha on Thursday to retain their unbeaten status in Group C, Asian Zone qualifying campaign. But the veteran Uruguayan coach wants more from his side.
“China must be fought with discipline and a good level of football. It is important to qualify directly to the next stage of qualifiers,” Carreno said yesterday.
“I will be looking at some (new) players in this clash as we have important games coming in May,” Carreno said yesterday while talking about international friendlies against Albania and Austria in a little over two month’s time.
Carreno, however, on Thursday looked pleased with his team’s performance.
“We achieved consistency in our attacks. We saw a good level of football,” Carreno said on Thursday. “The early goal got us going. It helped us calm down. That’s when we started controlling the game,” Carreno said.
“We got three more points. It was our seventh successive win. We didn’t concede any goals today,” he added. “We need the same discipline against China also. It will be a tough game. We should fight hard,” he said.
“Right now we have a great atmosphere in the change room and that is great,” he said.
Hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar leave for China on Sunday and hit the training pitch the same day.
Earlier, striker Hassan Al Haydos termed his team’s 2-0 win as ‘important’ ahead of Qatar’s next clash against China next week.
Al Haydos and Sebastian Soria scored for Qatar.
“It is an important win since we are playing China next,” Al Haydos said. “This win will give the players the confidence going into our next clash.
“We will be playing for a win to remain unbeaten in Group C,” he said. “Today I would like to thank the fans who turned up in large numbers,” Al Haydos said.
Soria feels Qatar’s 2-0 win against Hong Kong on Thursday had given the Group C leaders ‘positive lift’ ahead of their next 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
“We are thrilled to have won our seventh consecutive win. It has given us the boost that we needed. The win has lifted the mood in the side,” Soria said.
“We are playing an important match against China and we need every bit of confidence going into that clash. The players played with a lot of heart and positive attitude today,” he said. “We deserved this win,” Soria said.
Soria scored late in the second half after Hassan Al Haydos had opened the scoring in the first half.
The Peninsula
