Agencies/Seoul

 

Qatar will have to play out of their skins in order to beat South Korea in their crucial Group A World Cup qualifier and enhance their chances of making it to the tournament proper for the first time in history.

Qatar arrived in chilly Seoul on Sunday after a long flight following their 1-0 defeat by Bahrain in their Asian Cup qualifier, leaving them with precious little time to acclimatise to the conditions.

And coach Fahd Thani was under no illusions about his team’s match against a side who are World Cup regulars and had beaten Qatar by a convincing 4-1 margin when they clashed in Doha in the first leg.

 “It will be a very hard game,” said the coach ahead of his sixth game in charge of Qatar.

“The status of Korea Republic’s football is high as is the standard of the football, not just in Asia but in the world. But we will play without regard to that reputation and do our best for the win. I am confident we can do it.”

Both teams are joint second behind Uzbekistan with seven points so far, but South Korea have only played four matches as compared to Qatar’s five. A win could put Qatar on top of Group A at least temporarily provided other results in the group turn out in their favour.

“We are all aware of the importance of tomorrow’s game,” said Thani. “There is a possibility for us to qualify for the World Cup and for that we will do our utmost to get a result. I am satisfied with our preparations for this game.”

However, another defeat at the hands of Korea corresponding with a win for Uzbekistan today against Lebanon could seriously jeopardise their chances.

The Koreans though are not having it easy lately, with coach Choi Kang-hee under severe pressure.

After starting Group A in the final round in the AFC zone of qualification with two wins, the 2002 semi-finalists have picked up just one point from the last two games.

“Tomorrow’s game is one we have to win,” said Choi.

“If we can get the three points then that puts us in a good position for the rest of the qualification campaign. I am confident that we can put on a good performance.”

He is hoping for another big win over Qatar after their 4-1 victory in Doha last June..

“We know that this is going to be a tough game but we have been working hard in training and are fully focused on this game and we know what’s at stake,” added Choi.

There have been injuries for Choi to contend with. Midfielder Kim Doo-hyun, full-back Kim Chang-soo and reserve goalkeeper Kim Young-kwang have pulled out through injury to be replaced by Pohang’s Hwang Ji-soo, Choi Chul-soon of Sangju and FC Seoul goalkeeper Kim Yong-dae.

There is some good news, however. Captain Kwak Tae-hwi picked up a thigh injury in training last week but has recovered more quickly than expected and is fit to start in central defence.

“The players are in very good condition and we are hoping we can get on top early on and if we can settle than we have the players with ability in attack,” said Choi.

Meanwhile,  after a tumultuous period during which a match-fixing scandal involving some of his players left him pondering his future, Lebanon coach Theo Bucker is back focusing on securing the country’s first World Cup finals berth.

Next up is a World Cup qualifier away to Group A leaders Uzbekistan today where the home side, who have eight points from five matches, are heavy favourites to claim the three points and move closer to tying up one of the two places on offer from the five-team pool.

Lebanon are at the bottom on four points, three behind Qatar, Iran and second placed South Korea, who have only played four games in comparison to the West Asian’s five, but Bucker refuses to give up hope on a first finals appearance for the ‘Cedars’.

The third placed finisher in the group will face off over two legs against the equivalent placed side from Group B with the winner advancing to an intercontinental playoff against a South American team for a place in Brazil.

“Honestly, a draw would be a perfect result,” Bucker told Lebanese paper the Daily Star yesterday of his ambitions from the Tashkent trip.

“If we finish third, then who will we play in the next match (playoff tie with Group B)? Oman, Jordan?

“OK, let’s say we win that, then we have to play either Chile, Paraguay or Uruguay in the final playoff.”

After today’s clash, Lebanon host South Korea on June 4 before their final group game away to Iran a week later.

A third-place finish looks like a tall order for Bucker’s side, but they managed to shock the Koreans 2-1 in Beirut in the previous round of qualifiers and after overcoming the matchfixing scandal, anything will seem possible.

The German, though, knows where improvements must come.

“Our weakness is in the midfield. We don’t have players who  can maintain the same intensity for 90 minutes,” he said after the win over the Thais.

“We are losing the aerial balls in ... the battle for the second ball and creative passing must be converted into high levels of fitness.”