Qatar coach Jorge Fossati insisted on Monday that the crucial World Cup qualifier against Syria was not his team's last chance to qualify for the 2018 finals in Russia.
Qatar have made a poor start to the latest round of Asian qualifiers, losing all three of their group games played so far.
The 2022 World Cup hosts are bottom of six-team Group A, already seven points behind second-placed South Korea.
The top two teams are assured of getting to Russia, though the team finishing third may be able to qualify via a play-off.
Despite this, Fossati said at a press conference that nothing will be decided by Tuesday's match in Doha, whatever the outcome.
"It's not the truth that tomorrow is the last game, that is my view," said the Uruguayan.
"I believe that in three or four games -- we have seven games to play -- the situation can change.
"Tomorrow is not definitive, after tomorrow we have 18 points to play for."
After Qatar lost their first two games, away to group favourites Iran and home to Uzbekistan, Fossati replaced sacked coach Jose Daniel Carreno.
He was unable to turn things around though in his first qualifier last week, when Qatar lost 3-2 in South Korea.
By contrast, Syria, shorn of stars who currently refuse to represent the national team and playing their "home" matches in Malaysia, have made a solid start.
They have four points from three games and last week won 1-0 in China.
A win on Tuesday could push them into the automatic qualification spots.
Coach Ayman Al Hakeem said it was a "historic achievement" for his team to have got so far in the tournament considering the civil war at home.
Syria's three games have only produced two goals and Hakeem predicted another tight affair on Tuesday.
"We consider Qatar as very, very strong. They have had great performances even if the results do not reflect that," he said.
"We know they are going to attack, they are going to be on the offensive, we need to deal with this."