Qatar's Abdulkarim Hassan (C) is congratulated by teammates after he scored the winner against Slovenia yesterday. Right: Qatar coach Djamel Belmadi gestures during the match.
By Sports Reporter/Doha
Qatar claimed their second friendly scalp in a matter of three days when they beat Slovenia 1-0 at the Lekhwiya Stadium yesterday.
A 46th-minute goal from Abdulkarim Hassan was enough to give the hosts their second consecutive victory as they gear up for the World Cup qualifiers beginning in June. Three days ago, they had beaten Algeria by a similar margin.
“It is a result I would take happily because Slovenia are no pushovers and have a lot of experience playing in Europe,” Qatar coach Djamel Belmadi said.
In fact, Slovenia are ranked 46th in the FIFA rankings as opposed to Qatar’s 109, and during the initial minutes of the game it clearly showed.
With their fast pace and dazzling skills, the Slovenians certainly had the measure of the Qataris with several threatening moves.
But a somewhat casual attitude deprived them of an early success with at least two clear chances from close fired over the post. Goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb also saw to it that the Qatar goal was not breached by making a couple of decent saves.
Qatar, however, were not to be denied for long as they struck in the very first minute after half-time, with Hassan’s measured shot from the left side following a string of meaningless exchanges in the penalty area beating Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak all ends up.
Thereafter, Oblak made saves of Ali Asadallah and Muntari, whereas Qatar goalkeeper al-Sheeb produced a save off Benjamin Verbic.
In another friendly in Doha, Algeria, the top-ranked team in Africa despite a 2015 Cup of Nations quarter-final loss to eventual champions Ivory Coast, crushed Oman 4-1.
It was a timely return to form by the ‘Desert Foxes’ after performing poorly last week when losing 1-0 to the Qataris in the same city.
Parma striker Ishak Belfodil and Valencia winger Sofiane Feghouli inflicted the damage with two goals each at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in the country that will host the 2022 World Cup.
Algeria scored twice in each half before Ali Suliman al-Busaidi claimed a consolation goal for the Omani ‘Reds’.
After scoring four goals in a thrilling triumph over Mali five days ago, Gabon were held 0-0 by Belarus in Turkish city Antalya.
Meanwhile, Cameroon scraped a 3-2 friendly international win Monday over Thailand—a team World Cup legend Roger Milla dismissed as “football nonentities”.
It took an 88th-minute match-winner from defender Ngweni Ndassi Kadiang to salvage pride for the four-time African champions in Bangkok after they trailed by two goals.
Although 93 places below Cameroon in the world rankings, the Thai ‘War Elephants’ rocked the ‘Indomitable Lions’ when Prakit Deeprom’s score and Aurelien Chedjou’s own-goal gave Thailand a 2-0 lead.
Benjamin Moukandjo pulled one goal back before half-time and Clinton N’Jie equalised from a penalty with 13 minutes left.
