Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, Qatar Football Association (QFA) President, shakes hands with Ahmed Alaaeldin during a practice session which took place in Abu Dhabi, yesterday.
Unbeaten Qatar today take on hosts UAE in the Asian Cup semi-finals in front of what will be a hostile crowd at the 42,000-capacity Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium but head coach Felix Sanchez yesterday remained unfazed.
Sanchez vowed his team is will enter the do-or-die clash with confidence, adding that there was ‘no pressure in his camp’ that includes 2018 Asian Player of the Year Abdulkarim Hassan and high-scoring striker Almoez Ali who has scored seven goals in the tournament.
Al Annabi on Friday created history by reaching the AFC Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time after a phenomenal run of five consecutive wins.
Qatar, with their remarkable performance throughout the tournament, have raised expectations back home and Sanchez feels high stakes in the eagerly-awaited battle against the arch-rivals will bring the best out of players.
“I think that one of the key reasons for us reaching this stage of the competition is that the players have been aware of the pressure. In any competition you have pressure as you need to get the right results,” Sanchez said on the eve of the second semi-final.
“The team, I believe, has coped very well with the situation so far. Of course, all of us know there is added pressure because it is the semi-final, but I think we are feeling confident rather than under pressure ahead of the match.
“It is a very big game for us, and we are very pleased to be in the semi-finals of this very important tournament. Hopefully against the UAE, we are going to play to our strengths and try to do our very best to continue (even further) in the competition.”
“The players are looking forward to the game, and their results up until now show that this group are mentally very strong. My squad is ambitious and they want to keep going. It has not been easy to keep getting the results we have done game after game, but hopefully in the semi-final we can perform well again and reach the final.”
Qatar will be missing Abdelaziz Hatem and Bassam Al Rawi through suspension but will welcome back Abdelkarim Hassan and Asim Madibo after the duo served a one-match ban during the quarter-final win over Korea Republic.
While wary of the threat the UAE will pose, Sanchez said that his players are fully prepared for what is sure to be another stern test in front of a full house at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium.
“As I have said previously it is normal to be missing players at this stage of a competition,” Sanchez said yesterday.
“The key point for us is that everyone is ready and waiting to play and to help the team in the process. I am sure that the 11 that start will perform very well for us against a strong side that has shown great organisation and which has talented players who can make a difference,” he added.
“The match against the UAE is more difficult than the ones we have faced previously. As you progress in a tournament every game becomes harder and harder.
“We must try to play in the correct way in order to get the right result. My players are highly motivated and want to achieve the win which would help go through to the final,” he concluded.
