A new-look Qatar squad will begin their Arabian Gulf Cup campaign today when they take on Kuwait at the Al Minaa Olympic Stadium in Basra.
After the debacle at the World Cup – where they lost their all three group matches to become the first host nation to fail to collect a single point – many seniors have been rested including captain Hassan al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali and several others.
Felix Sanchez, who led the team to the 2019 Asian Cup title, also left the post after his contract ended last week. While the Qatar Football Association searches for a long-term replacement for the Spaniard, Portuguese coach Bruno Pinheiro is in charge temporarily as Qatar hopes the new blood will usher in a new era and restore the pride.
Apart from Kuwait, Qatar are in Group B with defending champions Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. In a press conference yesterday, Pinheiro hoped that the youngsters will make use of the opportunity.
“We are trying to give opportunities to the players to be ready for the future. This tournament will give them a good experience. The results of the World Cup were normal due to the pressure of the competition,” he said. “We did not have enough time to prepare for the tournament, so we could not implement new ideas and methods.”
In al-Haydos’ absence, Ismaeel Mohamed will captain the side. Ismaeel, who has 73 international caps, will make his fourth Gulf Cup appearance but is captaining Qatar for the first time. “The first match is always difficult. We are ready and eager to do well. The Gulf Cup is a new experience for the players. The most important thing is to help the team,” he said.
Qatar’s opponents Kuwait have won a record 10 out of 24 Gulf Cups, but in recent years they have been a mere shadow of their glorious past. They not only failed miserably at the World Cup qualification, but also could qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup. Kuwait will be missing the 37-year-old talisman Bader al-Mutawa, their most-capped player. They are coached by Rui Bento, with the Portuguese pinning his hopes on youth and admitted yesterday that Kuwaiti football ‘is a transitional period.’