Qatar national team squad train at Aspire Academy yesterday. Sebastian Soria (23), Younes Ali (20), Khaled Al Zakiba (13) are also seen. PICTURES BY: FADI Al ASSAAD
DOHA: Qatar take on Egypt in a friendly today with an eye on next month’s Gulf Cup, the region’s showpiece football event.
Coached by Paulo Autuori, Qatar planned the Egypt friendly to gain match practice ahead of the Gulf Cup to be held in Bahrain from January 5 to 18. Egypt, coached by Bob Bradley, arrived in Doha on Wednesday. Qatar are one of eight sides competing for the Gulf Cup title.
“It is an important match for us as we are heading into a very important event (the Gulf Cup). This match (at Al Gharafa Stadium) will help us settle down on combinations and tactics,” Autuori said. “We will be playing to win (the Gulf Cup). If we win, that will help improve the players’ confidence going into the remaining (FIFA) World Cup qualifiers in 2013,” Autuori said two days ago. “It is good that we are playing such a high-level of tournament.”
Autuori declined to comment on remarks made by Bahrain coach that ‘Qatar were favourites for the Gulf Cup title’. Meanwhile, the Egypt national football team was received by the Qatar Football Association management headed by Saud Al Muhannadi at the airport.
Qatar have already announced a batch of 35 players that will be trimmed closer to the event in Bahrain. Former champions Qatar have been drawn along side hosts Bahrain, Oman and the UAE in Group A of the 2013 Gulf Cup. In Group B, defending champions Kuwait have the company of football powerhouses Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Match: Qatar vs Egypt
Venue: Al Gharafa Stadium
Kick-off time: 7:30pm
THE PENINSULA
