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Sports Reporter/Hong Kong
Brimming with confidence following a 15-0 rout of Bhutan three days ago, Qatar will be looking to keep their unbeaten record against hosts Hong Kong when they clash in a 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 AFC Asian Cup joint-qualifying match at Mong Kok Stadium here today.
Qatar crushed Bhutan 15-0 in their match at Al Sadd Stadium on Thursday before taking their flight to Hong Kong where coach Kim Pan-gon’s awaits the Maroons.
Coached by Jose Daniel Carreno, Qatar have a 5-0 head-to-head record
against their hosts Hong Kong.
Hong Kong lead Group C with 7 points from three games following two home wins and an away draw against China in Shenzhen last week.
Second placed Qatar have six points from two games.Besides tackling the home side playing in familiar conditions, Qatar will have to be ready to face the music in front of a packed Mong Kok Stadium.
Coach Carreno, however, was confident Qatar will put up a decent show.
“The win against Bhutan is past us and we have to look forward to the future,” coach Carreno said.
“Hong Kong are a much stronger side and we cannot afford to relax. We need to do our best so that we can top the pool,” he added.
Organisers say all tickets at the compact 6,660-seat venue were sold out long ago.
Meanwhile Hong Kong soccer chief Brian Leung Hung-tak said the “city is on fire” with football fever. “It’s like the city is on fire as everybody is watching the Hong Kong team,” Leung was quoted as saying in the South China Morning Post.
“It proves if we can achieve good results, Hong Kong people are always behind us. The match against Qatar will be crucial as we can keep our top position with a draw.”
Leung said all tickets for the match were sold off several days ago.
Hong Kong are likely to make three changes, with striker Chan Siu-ki, midfielder Lo Kwan-yee and full back Cheung Kin-fung in the starting line-up.
Meanwhile, Palestine coach Abdulnasser Barakat remains undaunted by the prospect of facing UAE when they clash today at the Faisal al-Huseni Stadium.
The UAE swept aside the Malaysians 10-0 while Group A rivals Saudi Arabia also enjoyed a goal-fest as the three-time Asian champions defeated Timor Leste 7-0 on Matchday 3 last Thursday, when Palestine were not in action.
“These big wins for the UAE and Saudi Arabia were natural because of the technical differences between the teams,” said Barakat, who admitted that the Emiratis’ resounding win over the Malaysians in Abu Dhabi gave him enough information on how to prepare his team for today’s match.
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