Qatar’s Akram Afif in action with a Bahraini player during their Group A match at Al Bayt Stadium on Tuesday. Picture: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula
Doha: Qatar playmaker Akram Afif has termed Tuesday’s victory over Bahrain important in team’s quest to reach the knockout stage of the inaugural FIFA Arab Cup, but said the Asian champions must be more focused in the upcoming group games.
The feared striker was instrumental in Qatar’s 1-0 win at Al Bayt Stadium, with Abdulaziz Hatem scoring the winner through a spot kick. The victory put Qatar on top of Group A with three points as Oman and Iraq shared points at the Al Janoub Stadium, earlier in the day.
The hosts could have won by a better margin if they had availed several goal-scoring opportunities mostly created by Afif, who hoped the team will come up with an improved performance when they will take on Oman at Education City Stadium, tomorrow.
“We wasted lots of opportunities but the opening matches are always difficult,” Afif said while commenting on Bahrain match.
“We have to take collective responsibility. We will be more focused in the upcoming matches,” the 2019 Asian Player of the Year said before saying the team’s ultimate target is to win the regional title for the first time.
“Our desire is to win the title but we will take one match at a time,” he said.
Afif added he was delighted to be victorious in front of home fans, who almost filled the 60000-seater Al Bayt Stadium as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 venue was launched ahead of the match.
Commenting on the Arab Cup, the striker said: “The Arab Cup under the umbrella of FIFA is a distinct and unique idea and I hope that this event will continue.”
Meanwhile, Qatar coach Felix Sanchez was satisfied with the win over Bahrain, saying a positive start was important for the home side.
“Arab Cup is a special challenge for us as it will be the last major tournament before the World Cup. Starting this event with a win is important,” said the coach.
“The match was difficult for the two teams, especially since the two teams know each other well, and all the cards are open. The task was difficult in the first half and a change in strategy by relying on speed in building attacks resulted in the goal,” he said.
Sanchez also praised his team, saying the players had pressure to win in front of home fans and they took the challenge well.
We must forget the defeat: Bahrain coach
Meanwhile, Bahrain coach Helio Sousa was not disappointed from his team’s performance, hoping his ranks will bounce back from the defeat.
“We always knew were facing a very strong opponent but at the same time we played well. We were very close to snatching a draw and we had more than one chance to score,” the coach said.
“I think we provided an ideal first half in which there were no clear opportunities for the Qatari team except for some attempts from long balls. But in the second half we lost the fierceness and we no longer pressured them enough. They knew in the second half how to control the match and snatched a goal,” he added.
Bahrain will meet Iraq in their second group match at the Al Thumama Stadium tomorrow, and Sousa said his team must produce a winning display.
“We must overcome the loss and start thinking about the next match. The other match (between Iraq and Oman) in the group ended in a draw. This also means that we have to win in order to keep our chances alive,” he said.
