Gharafa are currently sixth in the standings with five points while Kharaitiyat are languishing at 10th with only one point. Gharafa will look to build on their victory over Al Khor in the previous round.
Gharafa coach Jean Fernandez said his team will not take Kharaitiyat lightly. “We’ve had good preparations for this game as there is no room for complacency. In this league all matches are important. We respect Al Kharaitiyat. They have a good coach and players, who can make a turnaround. They’ve the ability to score goals. The results aren’t a fair reflection on their game,” he said.
Fernandez expected Gharafa to get stronger as the league progresses. “On our side, I’ve full confidence in my players. It took us for a while to get our first win. Now that has happened, we’ll be much more stronger as the league progresses. We adopt strategies for each game and I hope to field the best possible eleven. Al Kharaitiyat are sure to desperately look for a win, so we expect a tough game. They’re good at ball possession,”
“We also have a good bench. That’s very important. Some players are being fielded in the last 20 minutes in order to make a difference in the game. All our players are gelling well, be it seniors or juniors, and I hope they’re now in a position to better implement my strategies on the field,” added the Frenchman.
Kharaitiyat will be eager to improve upon their showing against Al Sailiya, which was a lost cause for The Thunders. Another defeat today will seriously dent Kharaitiyat’s confidence, which their coach Ahmad al-Ajlani is well aware of.
Ahead of the match, al-Ajlani said he was working mainly on his players’ lack of concentration on the pitch.
“A lack of concentration on the pitch is our main spot of bother. That was more evident during our last match against Al Sailiya, which we lost even after taking the lead. It’s time my players put an end to it, especially since we’ve managed to earn only one point so far,” al-Ajlani said yesterday.
“We’ve lost some games because of this factor. Also, I want my wards to regain their fighting spirit. In football, tactics succeed only when players implement them on the field of play,” he added.
Kharaitiyat manager asked he players to show some fighting spirit. “We know Al Gharafa are on a high after their first victory. We’re working harder to get some positive results and go up the standings. We’re not showing the fighting qualities during training sessions when it comes to real action.
“There’s no point in repeating the mistakes. We’ve have repeating them in our last two league matches. We could’ve won the game over Al Khor, but conceded a goal towards the end. Our club president Sheikh Khalifa’s presence at training sessions really motivates our players. We hope to have good luck in the coming games,” the Tunisian said.
Fixtures
Today: Al Kharaitiyat vs Al Gharafa at Al Khor stadium
Tomorrow: Al Sailiya vs Al Rayyan at Al Ahli stadium; Al Khor vs Al Markhiya at Al Khor stadium 5:25pm; Al Arabi vs Al Sadd stadium at Al Arabi stadium 7:35pm.
On Saturday: Umm Salal vs Al Duhail at Al Gharafa stadium 5:25pm; Qatar SC vs Al Ahli at Al Duhail Stadium 7:35pm