Sanchez confident his boys can do well against South Korea in Asian Cup quarters
Qatar will take on South Korea in the quarterfinal of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, which is currently underway in the UAE.
The Qatar team, which is qualifying to the last-eight stage of the continental event for only the third time after 2000 and ’11, are in great form. They topped their group with wins over Lebanon (2-0), Saudi Arabia (2-0) and North Korea before beating Iraq 1-0 in the round of 16.
Qatar’s Spanish head coach Felix Sanchez said pressure would not play a part when his side faces the Korea Republic in the much-awaited quarterfinal encounter.
“Up until this point, the team has performed well and has achieved some excellent results. Of course, all of them are professionals, and they’re used to playing in competitions like domestic leagues and the AFC Champions League. So they’re used to this kind of pressure,” Sanchez was quoted as saying by Gulf Times.
Although Qatar has appeared in nine editions of the Asian competition, they have never progressed past the quarterfinal stage.
“The pressure of being in a quarterfinal is more than welcome, and I think they’ve to enjoy it and work very hard to have the chance to have at least one more game. I want them to feel the pressure in the right way because it’s a crucial game,” Sanchez added.
When Qatar last played South Korea in June 2017, Uruguayan coach Jorge Fossati had guided Al Anabi to a pulsating 3-2 win at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. Hassan Al Haydos had scored a brace and Akram Afif the other goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
Qatar will be without suspended Abdelkarim Hassan and Assim Madibo after the key duo picked up their second yellow cards of the campaign during the win over Iraq.
While acknowledging it was a blow, Sanchez was adamant that his squad has sufficient depth to deal with their enforced absence.
“We know we’re going to face a tough game against what many people believe is one of the favourites for the tournament. But once you reach this far in the competition, it’s normal to have injuries or players suspended. We’re a group of 23 players, and we’ve every confidence in all the players who’re here.
“Of course, it would be better to have everyone available, but we’re sure we’ll maintain our [current level] and be ready to compete against the Korea Republic,” Sanchez said, according to Qatar Tribune.
Meanwhile, South Korea coach Paulo Bento is interested only in finding a way to progress rather than looking to explain why things may go wrong.
“We need to try to find the best solutions and not the best excuses,” the Portuguese national told reporters.
Qatar's match will begin at 4pm Doha time.
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