(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Coach Jorge Fossati rued missed chances but also blamed the referee for his team's loss against Uzbekistan which all but ended Qatar's chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Fossati said Qatar were the better side throughout the match but added that the referee alleviated the tension and pressure on the Uzbek players through some of his decisions.
The Uruguayan said that after the match he had a chat with the referee about a foul that led to Uzbekistan's goal, adding that he concluded from the conversation that the match official wasn't in the right place to make a correct call. He however refused to comment on the decision to disallow Qatar a goal for off-side, saying he wasn't in the right place to see things clearly.
Fossati congratulated Uzbekistan and said they aren't to blame for the mistakes of the match officials that affected the match ,not just the foul that led to Uzbekistan's goal but also about other decisions. He said a case for a penalty in Qatar's favour was ruled out because the referee thought Luiz Martin had dived and also pointed said Qatar were denied a penalty when the referee missed an Uzbek handball.
The fair result should have been a draw, Fossati said, adding that the referee played a big role in deciding the outcome of the game.
As for the next three matches and whether he may use players that might be selected for the 2022 World Cup, Fossati said the current squad has only three or four players whose age won't allow them to participate in 2022.
He said at least 30 players can be selected. He added that the whole matter is in the hands of the Qatar Football Association.
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