Al Annabi Aim to Rise to the Challenge Vinay Nayudu Doha
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12 Friday, February 1, 2019 Sports Al Annabi aim to rise to the challenge VINAY NAYUDU DOHA HAVING mesmerised the world for almost a fortnight since they played their first match against Lebanon at the Asian Cup 2019, World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar are now a few hours away from the most important game in their national football his- tory when they take on Japan in the final in Abu Dhabi on Friday at 5pm. Having cruised into the final of Asia’s biggest compe- tition unbeaten and without having conceded a single goal, their biggest test would be in overcoming the Blue Samurai, who are four-time champions and eyeing a fifth. Maturity seems to have stemmed from hard-earned success for the young Qatari players. And the sublime striker Almoez Ali with re- cord-equalling most goals to his name in the tournament, struck just the right note say- ing, “We will need patience in the final, and if we are pa- The Qatar team ahead of a training session at the Armed Forces Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Thursday evening. (REUTERS) tient, we have a chance of be- ing champions.” mined to get the victory we been a lot of unwanted dis- the moment. My players need the semi-final. dor and former Barcelona seven of the last eight quarter- Backed and guided by one want by putting in one more tractions. From the disgrace- no more motivation than to After threatening to bore and Al Sadd legend Xavi finalists and three of the four of the most looked at coaches huge effort against Japan so ful behaviour of the UAE play an Asian Cup final,” re- crowds to death in their first Hernandez has intriguingly semi-finalists. You can trust in Felix Sanchez, Qatar also that we can make the Qa- fans in the semi-final, to an marked Sanchez. five games, the Blue Samurai already made the biggest the soothsayer! have a shrewd tactician who tari people happy once again attempt at getting Qatar dis- Motivated, they are in- go into final unbeaten in 11 prediction. So, when Qatar captain has seldom been off the mark and make history,” said the qualified in the final. They deed. Brilliant, scoring at matches since Hajime Mori- Opining on Al Kass tel- Hassan al Haydos kicks the this Asian Cup. Spaniard. seem to stop at nothing. every opportunity and keep- yasu took over as coach after evision, Xavi had remarked, ball to roll later today, all “One of the key things If that happens, Qatar The Al Annabi are however ing cool heads, Qatar have last year’s World Cup. now famously that Qatar television screens across the for us is that there is a great would have done wonders just not perturbed. been a revelation. In contrast, While all Qatar support- and Japan would be play- globe and the giant ones in team spirit, everyone is like what Greece did when “We are only focused on Japan, who captured the last ers are praying and wishing ing the final and that the Al Qatar will come alive, and the working together to achieve they won the Euro champion- the game we’re going to play. of their record four Asian for the nation’s watershed Annabi would go on to lift World Cup 2022 hosting na- the same result. ships in 2004. Any other thing not related to titles in 2011, upset tourna- moment to arrive soon, the the trophy! tion will rise with hopes of the “The players are deter- Surely though, there have football is not in our minds at ment favourites Iran 3-0 in World Cup 2022 ambassa- He correctly predicted dream coming true. A World Cup, and a team to match? Qatar get it right on the pitch AFP exposure. ABU DHABI The quality of the facilities is such that Aspire is sought Qatar’s transformation out for warm-weather training from also-rans to Asian Cup by major European clubs like finalists was meticulously Manchester United and Bay- planned and has been years ern Munich. in the making – and has final- It also searches far and ly given Qataris some swag- wide for high-quality coaches, ger as they prepare to host including current national the World Cup. team boss Felix Sanchez, who The wealthy Gulf state moved from Barcelona’s acad- has long projected its power emy in 2006. through football, notably by Sanchez was in charge winning the right to host the of Qatar’s under-19s in 2014 Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu (centre) with his players during a train- 2022 World Cup and by buy- when they won their first ing session in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. (EPA-EFE) ing Paris Saint-Germain, the Asian title, with a squad in- club of Neymar, the world’s cluding Ali and several others most expensive player. now at the Asian Cup. Glory is what matters: What was missing was a “We work very hard all the respectable national team, but time. Every training session Qatar seem to have solved that we train together, it’s like a Japan coach Moriyasu problem after putting together family,” Portuguese-born de- a record-breaking run in hos- fender Pedro Correia told AFP. AFC a Qatar team that has scored tile conditions in the United “All the time we’re like a ABU DHABI 16 times in their previous six Arab Emirates. family, it’s important. And games and have yet to concede Plastic bottles and even we take that into the games... HAJIME Moriyasu will be- a goal as they booked their shoes rained down on the Qa- we’re in the final because come the first man to win place in the country’s first-ev- tari players as they thrashed of that.” the AFC Asian Cup as both a er AFC Asian Cup final. the hosts 4-0 to reach their After leaving Aspire, near- player and a coach on Friday The Japan coach, though, first Asian Cup final, keeping ly all the players join Qatari should his Japan team defeat is confident his team is an unprecedented sixth clean teams with close links to the Qatar in Friday’s final, but well-equipped to handle sheet in the process. academy. Eight of the semi- the former midfielder has no Felix Sanchez’s impressive The ongoing Gulf blockade final starters came from the interest in personal accolades young side. of Qatar has sent tensions sky- same club, Al Sadd. as he prepares for the tourna- “We are aware they are a high, and with Qataris largely “We like to keep the ball, ment decider. very strong team, that they barred from UAE the Maroons play football. This is our style, Moriyasu was a member have scored 16 goals and have been virtually bereft of it’s good football, enjoyable. of the Japan side that won the kept clean sheets all the way fans. But despite this, they Believe me, we work very hard country’s first title in 1992, through, but no matter how have cut a swathe through the every training session to play when Takuya Takagi’s goal they play we will stay the competition. like this,” Correia said. sealed victory in the final over same,” he said. “We will ana- Almoez Ali has netted a Qatar will take another Saudi Arabia, and since then lyse them and then we will ex- record-equalling eight times, step in their World Cup prepa- the Japanese have gone on press our best on the field. and Qatar’s goal difference of rations when they play this to claim the trophy in 2000, “We are also a team that scored 16, conceded none is Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al Thani with Qatar coach Felix year’s Copa America as guests, 2004 and 2011 to become the has reached the final, so I want the best in Asian Cup history. Sanchez and other officials in Abu Dhabi on eve of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 final. along with Japan. AFC Asian Cup’s most suc- the players to be confident be- It is a far cry from 2015, “We’re working very hard cessful nation. cause of that. We have been when Qatar lost all three being the World Cup’s first post- stems from Doha’s Aspire football and Aspire has gone with the young players in this Now the 50-year-old, who developing as a team through- group games. war hosts not to have previously Academy, which has produced to the lengths of buying team,” said Correia. “All the took over as Japan coach fol- out each game and I want us to But whatever happens in played in the competition. athletes of the calibre of world clubs in Spain and Belgium, players are 22, 23. lowing the country’s run to the show that development on the Friday’s final with Japan, Qa- champion high jumper Mutaz and forging links with oth- “This is all part of the Round of 16 at the 2018 FIFA field tomorrow.” tar have shown they need to be ‘Like a family’ Essa Barshim. ers including Leeds United, thinking to prepare for the World Cup in Russia last sum- Despite a sluggish start to taken seriously in 2022, despite Qatar’s success on the pitch But the major focus is to give its players greater FIFA World Cup 2022.” mer, is looking to guide his the tournament, the Japanese nation to a record-extending also have a perfect record at fifth AFC Asian Cup title from the 2019 Finals and Moriyasu the dugout.