The Asian Game’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is proudly sponsored by SMC.
It’s said all good things come to those who wait, and for Qatar they have waited 4372 days for this moment, when Hassan Al-Haydos leads their national team out onto the lush green field of Al Bayt Stadium to open the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
It has been a long, and at times turbulent road to get here, with no fewer than eight coaches churned through before unheralded Spaniard Felix Sanchez was given the honour of leading the host nation into battle.
The question on everyone’s lips is simple – are they ready?
While much spotlight has been placed on Qatar as a country over the past 12 years, very little has focused on the football – much to FIFA and Gianni Infantino’s chagrin, no doubt.
That is also partly by design from the QFA who have placed a protective bubble around the side in recent months as they continued their preparation away from the global glare, hidden away in Spain with often very little by way of updates from a series of official and unofficial friendly matches.
What we know about Qatar we glean from their performances in international tournaments, such as 2019’s AFC Asian Cup, plus the Gold Cup and Arab Cup from last year. On all of those occasions Qatar has proven themselves to be a match at international level.
Of course they won the Asian Cup, while they made the semi finals of both the Gold and Arab Cups, producing the type of football they hope to emulate over the next 10 days.
Those performances were headlined by the usual band of suspects that has guided Qatar, at both junior and senior level, over the past decade – names like Akram Afif, Almoez Ali and Hassan Al-Haydos.
Al-Haydos, now 31, is his country’s most capped player and is likely featuring in his first and only World Cup, and has the honour of captaining his country in their maiden tournament. A veteran of the national team, his creativity alongside that of Afif will be crucial in trying to unlock the Ecuadorian defence.
Working in Qatar’s favour is the fact that no host nation has lost the opening game of the World Cup in the past 21 editions of the tournament.
With a capacity crowd expected, the moment of truth has arrived for Qatar. ‘Now is all’ is the slogan for this tournament, and that is very much true of the team walking out onto the pitch tonight.
All that matters is now.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
AKRAM AFIF – Afif has shown himself a player for the big occasion of the years, and for Qatar there was no bigger than the Asian Cup in 2019 when he dazzled his way to the MVP award as he was instrumental in Qatar’s ultimate success. Silky on the ball, with a delicate touch and a killer eye for a pass, he has built up an almost telepathic connection with Almoez Ali over their years playing with both the junior and senior national teams and that partnership is what Felix Sanchez has built this attack around over the past few years.
ALMOEZ ALI – The other half of Qatar’s attacking threat, Ali has consistently produced when it matters most for the national team. He broke Ali Daei’s Asian Cup goal scoring record in 2019 when he banged in nine goals, while he also top scored at last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup with four and added a further three at the year-ending Arab Cup. He is a man for the big moment, and if anyone is going to score Qatar’s first ever World Cup goal put your money on Almoez.
ABDULAZIZ HATEM – The 32-year-old is rare in this Qatari national team in that he plays for neither Al Sadd or Al Duhail. But the veteran central midfielder is a crucial fixture in this Felix Sanchez side. His presence in midfield, where he plays usually on the right of the midfield three in Sanchez’s preferred 5-3-2 system, was crucial as they stormed to Asian Cup success in 2019, where he was named in the official team of the tournament. His ability to not just link up but find the net himself makes him a dangerous proposition.
WHAT THEY SAID
Felix Sanchez – Qatar coach
“It’s a very important day for us. A historic moment, a moment of happiness for us.
“It’s an extraordinary day like no other. We have made such a huge effort in this country. We are all devoted for this World Cup and have invested so much.
“I hope it’s a great party where we can enjoy football and I hope everyone from all countries in the world, together, can enjoy this experience. I’m happy to be the ones kicking off this competition.”
Hassan Al-Haydos – Qatar captain
“There is no greater honour than to play in the World Cup. It is a huge task but we are ready. It goes without saying I am very proud to lead the squad.
“It is the edition of the World Cup of all Arabs, we bear the responsibility of all Arabs to play well with our performance and the team spirit. We have to represent all Arabs well.
“Inshallah [God willing], me and my team will perform up to the expectations and show the results of our hard work.”
PREDICTION
Scott McIntyre
Qatar 1-0 Ecuador
Michael Church
Qatar 0-1 Ecuador
Paul Williams
Qatar 2-1 Ecuador
Martin Lowe
Qatar 1-1 Ecuador
Photo: twitter/QFA_EN
Listen to The Asian Game Podcast as we preview Qatar’s chances in their maiden FIFA World Cup
