Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui says he still believes in his team as the hosts take on Tunisia in a must-win clash at the Arab Cup at 8pm tonight at Al Bayt Stadium.
Qatar have dropped points in both of their games so far, conceding late goals against Palestine and Syria as they stare at early exit from the tournament. Lopetegui said the team played well in their last match but admitted the result was hard to accept. “We were unhappy with how the game ended, but football can be cruel,” the Spaniard said Saturday. “But at the same time, we played really well against Syria. Football is like this sometimes. It’s not easy to accept that. We’ll now have to use all this frustration to push up in the next match.”
Both Qatar and Tunisia are in precarious positions. Tunisia also failed to win their opening two games, and today’s match is a must-win for both. Their quarter-final hopes will also depend on the Syria–Palestine match being played at the same time today at the Education City Stadium. If Syria and Palestine draw, they will both qualify, regardless of the result at Al Bayt.
Qatar need two things to advance: a win over Tunisia, and a Palestine victory over Syria. Tunisia’s path is the opposite: beat Qatar and hope Syria defeat Palestine.
Lopetegui said his team can only focus on their own performance. “We have to compete well, stay concentrated, and do everything we can,” he said.
Lopetegui described Tunisia as one of the strongest teams in the tournament, saying they have several high-quality players. But he insisted Qatar can still win if they stay sharp and give everything.
Midfielder Ahmed Fathy said the team has struggled mentally after failing to close out games. “The last match was tough on us,” he said. “But we can’t think about the past. We must focus on Tunisia and take the positives from our last performance.”
Fathy also called on Qatari fans to fill the stands. “We always need their support. Monday is a big game, and we want to make them proud,” he said.
Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi said neither team controls its own destiny, but both must fight until the end. He said Tunisia expect strong backing from their fans in Doha. “We must forget what happened earlier in the tournament and focus only on winning,” he said. “This is our last chance.”
Tunisian striker Seif Jaziri said the team will approach the match with full seriousness. He praised Qatar’s strengths but added that Tunisia will look to take advantage of any weaknesses.
