DOHA: Bottom-placed Mesaimeer seek a change in fortunes as Qatar Stars League (QSL) action resumes today for the minnows with a game against Al Wakrah.
Mesaimeer, who have three points from eight matches, take on 10th-placed Al Wakrah at Al Gharafa Stadium today.
“After the two-week break, we are getting players to restart their season. The competition for us is starting from now,” Mesaimeer coach Rodion Gacanin said yesterday.
“They don’t have a lot of points to show for their efforts but they have lost points because of individual mistakes or plain bad luck. They are 50-50 against any team in QSL. They will be difficult but we have our own qualities too. And I hope that tomorrow we will be able to get a win,” Gacanin said.
“We have many key players with some niggles but they are motivated enough to play through the pain and give it their all on the field. This match and the one after this against Al Khor will show what the future holds for us,” the coach said.
“We spoke about the individual quality. In the three matches that we played recently, we had many chances but we couldn’t score and in the end, the result went the other way. A lot depends on the individual quality of the players,” Gacanin said.
“There are 5-6 teams that are at the same level. When these teams clash, a lot of things depend on the form of the individual players at that exact time as they are not always consistent like the players in top sides.
“These 5-6 matches will always be 50-50. Sometimes the results will go our way and sometimes the other way. I hope that we don’t concede a goal and that we finally convert our opportunities and then we will be able to win,” Gacanin said.
Al Wakrah coach Jose Mauricio said his team has been preparing for the last two weeks with plenty of open discussions among the players.
“It’s easy to analyse the situation that we are in. But we have been talking to our players. This is the first final that we have. We have five finals to play before the end of the league. We have to take the maximum of points from these games,” Mauricio said.
“We are used to playing each game as a final. When you are playing a final you have to be at your maximum concentration during the game.
And we have to take maximum points from all these games,” Mauricio added.
“Normally when you have a break in the season, you have to keep working to improve and rectify some aspects of your game. This also gives us an opportunity to recover our injured players. And it also helped us prepare tactically for the games ahead,” Mauricio said.
“I am worried about the relegation situation but that also makes me work more to resolve it. There is a lot of frustration because of our situation. Players are playing well, giving a 100 per cent and they are playing for the team,” he said.
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