Qatar and Carreno have task cut out in WC qualifiers

Jose Daniel Carreno may not be a well-known name in the world of football coaching, but the Uruguayan has a decent shot at legendary status and immortality if the final phase of the Asian World Cup qualifiers beginning today goes according to plan.The 53-year-old has had a dream run with Qatar since appointed as the head coach in June last year, helping the country sweep through the previous qualifying phase with a whopping seven wins from eight matches, something that has raised expectations among the public.But when Qatar take on Iran today in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, which can seat more than 100,000 spectators, past results will be confined to the dustbin of history as Carreno braces for the toughest phase of his coaching career so far.Although Qatar will find an automatic slot in the 2022 World Cup by virtue of being the hosts, it would be doubly sweeter for the team if they manage to book their tickets to Russia in 2018 by actually going through the lengthy qualifying grind. Among other things, it will also help the nation avert criticism that that they will figure in the 2022 World Cup only because they are the hosts!Qatar’s closest brush with World Cup fame was in 1998 when they needed just a point against Saudi Arabia in their last qualifying match but ended up heartbreakingly losing the match to miss out on the tournament hosted by France. With only two top teams qualifying from each of the two groups, Qatar will have their task cut out. Group A, in which they are placed, also has World Cup regulars South Korea, who along with Iran are the clear favourites to go through, at least on paper.China, Syria and Uzbekistan, the other teams in the group are also no pushovers, but with the qualifying phase extending well into 2017, a few surprising results along the way cannot be ruled out.And towards that end, Qatar better start with a surprise win today over Iran, against whom their record is far from exemplary.In fact both teams have clashed 20 times since 1988, with Iran winning a whopping 12 times and Qatar only thrice, with five matches drawn.But on this occasion there is a feeling that Qatar are much better prepared than at any time previously. They have had extensive training camps in Europe and have convincingly beaten teams like Jordan and Thailand in friendlies.“We respect Iran as one of the best teams in Asia but we don’t fear them. I can attest to the fact that my players are in top form before tomorrow’s match,” Carreno said yesterday at his pre-match press conference in Tehran.Qatar fans would be hoping that Carreno and the team’s confidence carries them to a famous victory in the cauldron of the Azadi Stadium.