(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Fawad Hussain
|
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Coach Luis Garcia yesterday promised Qatar will leave no stone unturned to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup as they face hosts Kuwait in a crucial clash at Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City today.
The two-time Asian champions enter their final Group A match in a challenging position needing a big win against the in-form home side.
Qatar and the UAE have just one point each from two matches while Oman and Kuwait lead the standings with four points apiece. A draw will suffice for both Oman and Kuwait to advance to the semi-finals.
Despite having slim chances, Garcia remained hopeful of Qatar's semi-final prospects but acknowledged the tough task posed by Kuwait, who are shining in front of home spectators after defeating the UAE in their last match.
“Kuwait will be very challenging, especially in front of their fans,” Garcia told a pre-match press conference.
“But I have confidence in my team's abilities and we will give our all to qualify for the semi-finals.”
Sultan Al Brake has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament due to a foot injury but the Qatar coach hoped the team would overcome the absences to achieve the desired result.
“We have significant absences, but we have a list of 26 players and will field suitable alternatives. It's also important to test the young players who are the future. They are working hard and I am proud of them,” Garcia said.
“The entire team is looking forward to a win because we want to progress in this important tournament.”
Qatar defender Tarek Salman echoed the coach's sentiments, saying the team is fully focused on the match.
“We will give our best to win against Kuwait and we will enter the pitch with great focus. Kuwait will have great energy on their home ground but we are also excited and looking forward to a strong performance,” Salman said.
Kuwait coach Juan Antonio Pizzi, meanwhile, described the game against Qatar as the most difficult in the group.
“It's a decisive match and we are optimistic about securing three points,” Pizzi said yesterday.
“We celebrated our win against the UAE and now the players are aiming for a victory against Qatar. They are completely focused on achieving the win,” he added.
“It's a different Qatari side from what we have seen in the past. They have involved young players, which is a positive step in preparing for the future. We have followed their last two matches and we must stay focused and give everything in the match,” Pizzi said.
Kuwait player Mishari Al Ghannam said:“Qatar are strong competitors as they are the Asian champions but the Gulf Cup is a tournament with its own calculations and there are no secrets between its teams. We have made the appropriate preparations for this match and promise our fans to achieve a positive result in order to qualify and continue the joy.”
The match will kick off at 5:30pm with the Oman-UAE clash taking place simultaneously at Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Stadium in Sulaibikhat.
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