New Qatar boss has hinted at more changes to a young squad against a must-win Oman encounter following opening day stalemate against UAE.
If taking charge of a national on the eve of a tournament was not enough, navigating a decisive tie with a young squad that is still trying to adapt is certainly not an easy job.
A draw against the UAE was a boost, especially after a series of disappointing performances, including a heavy 5-0 defeat to the same team.
With all teams on one point and the group still wide open, the upcoming clash with Oman at Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah Stadium could prove challenging for the team.
A win against Oman on Tuesday could pave the way to the semi-finals, but a loss would likely mark the end of the Arabian Gulf Cup — also known as the Khaleeji Zain — for Luis Garcia and his men.
“The match is very important and we are ready to put on a better performance,” the newly appointed Qatar head coach said. “The goal is to fight for our first victory in the tournament, nothing less.”
Facing an Omani side that impressed with a resilient 1-1 draw against hosts Kuwait, Al Annabi may have a tough challenge ahead. Despite conceding early, Rasheed Jaber’s team equalised within eight minutes and put up a solid defensive performance, showcasing their ability to consistently exceed expectations.
Despite having an upper hand over Oman in terms of previous results with 19 wins in 34 encounters with just six losses, there is not much to be relaxed about.
In fact, Qatar’s last defeat against Oman came in the same tournament 15 years ago by a scoreline of 1-0, in a campaign that hosts Oman went on to win.
Add to the mix a set of youngsters to support the core of the Asian Cup-winning team under a new head coach, it gets more complicated. Half of the current squad called up for the Gulf Cup have fewer than 10 caps for the national team.
The side that will be fielded by Al Annabi on Tuesday might have more changes, in addition to the debuts that occurred against the UAE, as hinted by Garcia.
“We have young players who appeared for the first time in the tournament against the UAE,” the Spaniard, who took charge from Bartolome Marquez Lopez, said. “They showed that they can play at a high technical level, and we are confident in their ability to continue at the same pace.”
While there were positives to pick from the UAE clash, a tight schedule might make things harder to fix. Qatar played the UAE on Saturday evening and within 72 hours will play Oman. Garcia said that is part of the challenge that he has taken into consideration.
“The time between matches is short, but we must address our mistakes and build on the positives,” he added.
