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Qatar overcame a lacklustre first half display to beat Malaysia 2-0 in their opening Group D Asian Cup qualifier at Al Sadd Club yesterday. |
Goals by Khalfan Ibrahim Khalfan and Ahmed Yousef in the second half gave Qatar three points but a total lack of intensity in the first session would give coach Fahad Thani plenty of food for thought as the international season, which also includes crucial World Cup qualifying games, gathers pace.
The Malaysians, ranked 52 spots below Qatar in the FIFA rankings at 158, frustrated the hosts no end with their tenacity as the hosts struggled to put together a goal-worthy move with wayward passing and a total lack of cohesion affecting play.
After the change of ends, though, Qatar were a transformed side as far as the intensity was concerned although they still struggled with co-ordination. But they managed to keep possession of the ball for most of the time and that paid dividends. If the Malaysians were only slightly behind in the ball possession ratio in the first session, the equation had changed dramatically in Qatar’s favour by the time the match was over.
Khalfan, however, was the star of the evening for the hosts, his energetic runs proving a constant pain for the Malaysians and sure enough it was the former Asian Player of the Year who struck in the 55th minute.
A free-kick from 30 yards area saw Khalfan’s powerful shot take a lucky deflection off the “wall” and beat goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi all ends up.
Sebastian Soria, who was largely ineffective for most part of the match, created a fine chance for himself in the 64th minute, but after dribbling past the entire defence inexplicably shot wide.
Khalfan then hit the post in the 89th minute much to Qatar’s dismay, but the hosts put the issue beyond doubt in the third minute of added time when they struck off a counterattack with Yousef finding the net from close range after Maged Mohamed, who came in as a late substitute for Soria, had hoodwinked goalie Fahmi.
“We are happy to bag the three points on offer although we didn’t play as well as we expected,” said Qatar coach Thani.
“We need to work on certain areas and improve, It’s going to be a tough season ahead.”
Thani’s Malaysian counterpart K Rajagopal was philosophical. “I don’t want to make excuses. We did well in the first half but luck was not on our side in the second,” said the former Malaysian striker.
The Malaysian side were missing as many as 10 national team players, of which seven were regulars.