Yemen are yet to get past the group stage of the Gulf Cup, in fact they have not tasted a single victory in nine editions of the tournament.
Ideally, they are an opponent Asian champions Qatar would be expected to beat on any given day.
But as Qatar found out on Tuesday, when you are not at your best, no team can be taken lightly. The hosts had a forgettable night in their opening match against Iraq, going down 1-2 to a second string side. The loss to Lions of Mesopotamia has firmly put the pressure on Felix Sanchez’s men.
In a short tournament like Gulf Cup, a defeat in the very first match can have a severe impact. Sanchez, though, will hope that it was just a minor blip for a side who have been impressive for the most of 2019.
The maiden Asian Cup win in the UAE at the beginning of the year announced their arrival on the big stage, while another gutsy show in the Copa America against the South American teams showed Sanchez’s men can stand up to big guns.
Yet it was an indifferent performance by Qatar against Iraq. While they looked short in confidence, they also seemed to be overawed by the expectations. There is no doubt though that Qatar will start as the overwhelming favourite against Yemen in the Group B match at the Khalifa International Stadium today.
But performances clearly have to improve. Before Tuesday, Qatar had not lost a single match since September, when they started their World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers campaign. Even though they lead the Group E, their performances in the qualifiers against lowly sides like Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh have been ordinary, if not poor.
Sanchez, however, felt that Qatar’s performance has not been in decline. “I do not think our performance is going down,” the Spaniard said yesterday. “We played tough games at the Asian Cup and Copa America. We are on the right track,” he added.
Today’s match against Yemen looks easy on paper for Qatar, but Sanchez, still smarting from the defeat to Iraq, warned his side not be complacent.
“There is no easy match in the tournament. We expect a highly competitive game tomorrow, but the players are motivated and prepared. We tried our best against Iraq but things didn’t go according to our plan. We will continue to work hard and put our best against Yemen,” he said.
The lack of goals will be a major worry for Sanchez. Almoez Ali has failed to reach the heights of Asian Cup, where he was MVP of the tournament. Against Iraq, Almoez wasted few easy chances and lacked control with the ball. Akram Afif has often put a spectacular performance but the Al Sadd player has also struggled to find the net.
Afif, who is in running for the Asian player of the year award, said the team is determined to put a better show against Yemen. “The outcome of the Iraq match was disappointing and we spoke about it. But we are determined to get back to winning ways. We know it won’t be easy and are aware of our responsibilities,” the striker said.
He also dismissed the claims that pressure of playing at home has affected the players’ performance. “No, this is not true. We did not appear tensed against Iraq. We played the game calmly and we lost only because we could not take advantage of the opportunities we had,” Afif said.
Meanwhile, a victory today against a strong side will be nothing short of historic for a war-torn Yemen. It will be a lot to expect from a side, whose players and coach are without a professional contract. A league game has not been played in the country in the last five years.
“The suspension of sports activity for more than five years in Yemen has had a direct impact on all national teams,” said Yemen coach Sami al-Na’ash, who side had lost to the UAE 0-3 in their opening match.
“A very difficult game awaits us because both the teams have lost their opening game. I hope my team will be in the best shape and the defenders will be more focused. We expect Qatar to attack, so I hope we do not make any defensive mistakes. I hope that the team will be mentally strong against the Asian champions,” he added.
Qatar players take part in a training session on the eve of their match against Yemen in Doha.
