Qatar coach Jorge Fossati reacts during the game.
Qatar coach Jorge Fossati yesterday praised his team's fight in the first half of the side's 1-0 loss to Uzbekistan in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying game played at Bunyodkor Stadium.
Uzbekistan's Odil Ahmedov struck the only goal of the match in the second-half to give the hosts 3 points.
"We expected a tough match and it was a tough game but we controlled the game in the first half. We were the better side during the first 45 minutes," Fossati said at a press conference following the Asian Zone qualifier.
"Our team was the best in the first half and we dominated the game. But, overall, we lacked accuracy in the last few minutes of the game," the coach added.
"The second half was somewhat similar to the first 45 minutes but the game changed quickly as tensions between the players rose," Fossati said.
"Some of the decisions were not right, one felt," he said.
"After the match, I discussed with the referee about our goal (in the second half) that was not allowed. From what I understood from the conversation was that the referee was not in the right place to make the right decision," Fossati said.
"I do not have to blame the referee's mistakes for the loss but there were a lot of wrong decisions. For the penalty kick that we could not get from the referee, I cannot imagine that was not given," he said.
Fossati continued: "I think that the fair result would have been at least a draw. There is no room to question the high quality of the national team of Uzbekistan, but I would say poor calls (by the referee) played the biggest role in the loss for us."
