Al
Markhiya coach Yousef Adam is hoping that his team’s experience in the
QSL Cup pays off when they take on Al Ahli in the QNB Stars League
today.
With just one win from seven matches to their credit, it will
be a big ask for them to stay in the tournament after being promoted to
the top flight this season.
“The QSL Cup matches played during the
break enabled us to try out various combinations and test more young
players. We now have a team capable of competing with big sides. We’ve
prepared well for this match and some players are back after doing
national duties,” said Adam.
“In the league this season, we’ve two
sets of teams. One group is fighting to be on top and the other is
battling to avoid relegation. The tough relegation battle makes the
tournament overall exciting,” he added.
Adam knows a thing or two about his rivals Al Ahli, whom he has coached in the past.
“I’m
not underestimating Al Alhi, whom I’ve coached. They’re one of the big
teams in Qatar and have the potential to finish in the top half of the
table. Both sides have more or less same strength and same number of
points.
“Our new players (defender Bilal Mohammed and midfielder Anas
Mubarak from Al Gharafa) and striker Abdulqadir Ilyas on loan from Al
Duhail) are good additions to the squad. Probably the much-experienced
Bilal will play his first match for us against Al Ahli.
“I’ll have to
see if our main striker from Ghana, Kwame Karikari, is fit to play this
game as he just did duty for his country,” he said.
Al Ahli coach Joaquin Caparros labeled Al Markhiya as a “tricky” side.
“Again,
it’s a difficult game for us because Al Markhiya are a tricky team. And
they proved it when we faced off in the QSL Cup recently and we had
indeed a tough time. They can cause upsets. They’ve proved that, “ said
Caparros, who also praised rival coach Adam.
“They’ve a good coach
in Yousef Adam, who knows the ins and outs of the game in Qatar. He has
coached Al Ahli and knows the styles of many of our players. on the
competition front, both teams are in the bottom half and looking for
three points desperately. That should make this contest interesting.
“This
match is going to be our real launch in this season’s QNB Stars League
as we’ll hopefully be fielding all four professional players together
for the first time. We couldn’t do it because of injuries to them from
time to time.”
Al Markhiya coach Yousef Adam.