The Asian Game’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is proudly sponsored by SMC.
Qatar now hold the ignominious record of being the first host nation to be eliminated after just two matches as defensive errors cost them dearly in a 1-3 loss to African champions Senegal.
While they avoided the embarrassment of being eliminated without scoring, Mohammed Muntari’s second half header putting him in the history books, questions will now be asked about the decision to prepare this team with, effectively, a six-month pre-season that, on the evidence before us, didn’t prepare them at all.
This is a team we know are capable of playing much better. We know because we’ve seen it over the last few years. We saw it at the Asian Cup, at the Gold Cup and Arab Cup. This is a team and a group of players that is capable of playing at a much higher level than what they showed when the world was watching.
Did they get stage fright?
Felix Sanchez suggested as much after the opening day loss to Ecuador, but any notion of that seemed to have disappeared against Senegal. While far from vintage, the performance itself was vastly improved.
There was an intent and intensity about Qatar that was missing in the opening game. Akram Afif was zipping around the front half, putting pressure on and generally working hard to create and find space.
On another day he perhaps could have had a penalty, which would’ve altered the course of the match, but the referee waved away his appeals when clattered over by Pape Matar Sarr around the half hour mark.
But Qatar needed more.
Almoez Ali disappointed and looks a shadow of the player that terrorised defenders at the Asian Cup three years ago. In both games now Muntari has looked the more lively option off the bench.
Qatar’s Asian Cup success was built on an incredible conversion rate of about 50% and what they would give to have had something similar against Senegal. The hosts created enough chances, but more often than not squandered them.
Senegal, meanwhile, we more efficient at the other end, scoring three from 13 shots across the 90 minutes – going at almost 25% – capitalising on a number of blunders from the Qatari defence.
After a somewhat bright first half from the home side, gifting the opener to Boulaye Dia on the stroke of half time was a deflating way to go into half time.
Poor marking from a corner early in the second half allowed Famara Diedhiou to double Senegal’s lead with a blistering header.
After Muntari pulled one back with just under 15 minutes to play, the Al Thumama Stadium sprung to life with hope that perhaps their side, who were peppering the goals, could find a way back into the game.
But yet more sloppiness in defence saw Senegal put the game beyond doubt five minutes from time when Bamba Dieng side-footed home to put the final nail in Qatar’s coffin at this World Cup.
WHAT WE LEARNED
Qatar got their preparation wrong: In theory, having the team together for six months leading up to the World Cup stands up. In practice, the evidence is clear that the QFA got their preparations horribly wrong.
The players lacked match sharpness. The number of poor touches, misplaced passes and general lack of intensity (which admittedly improved against Senegal) was that of a team that hadn’t played competitive football for six months. Friendlies on training grounds in Spain, away from the spotlight, are one thing. The intensity of a World Cup is another and Qatar weren’t ready for this moment.
Abdelkarim Hassan is not the same player: It was only a few years ago the marauding full back was named Asia’s best player. But the Al Sadd left back has clearly stagnated since then. His long diagonal balls are a thing of beauty when executed properly, and it was from one such ball that Qatar scored their only goal, but too often his touch was poor and his passes misplaced and such sloppiness will be exposed on a stage such as the World Cup.
Need to stiffen up defensively: Qatar have now shipped five goals in two games, while only scoring once at the other end. For almost all of those, defensive errors are to blame. Saad Al-Sheeb had a shocker in goal in the opening game, and while his replacement, Meshaal Barsham wasn’t at fault for any of the three he conceded, he too had his moments that had Qatari hearts in mouths. But it’s been the entire defensive unit that has been poor and Qatar have been made to pay.
WHAT THEY SAID
Post-match comments to follow
WHAT COMES NEXT
There is nothing left but pride to play for next against a team that, on paper, presented the biggest challenge of this group – the Netherlands. There is no doubt Felix Sanchez will mix things up and give opportunities to otherwise fringe players as they look to at least get one point from this tournament.
Photo: twitter/QFA_EN
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