AFC
Doha: Qatar produced a fine performance to secure a 2-0 victory over Indonesia in their opening AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2024 ™ match on Monday but head coach Ilidio Vale has urged his side to continue improving if they want to achieve success.
Goals from Khaled Ali and Ahmed Al Rawi secured the win and the Group A top spot after Australia and Jordan settled for a draw in their tie.
While pleased with their first half display, Vale expressed concern over Qatar’s control in the second half, emphasising the need to correct their mistakes and build on their strengths.
“It was a very difficult match for us, as it’s always difficult to play on home turf because things can get emotional,” said Vale. “The first half was good, but in the second half we didn’t totally control the match.
“We did well in some aspects, and we didn’t too well in others. We couldn’t do all the things we wanted today, but that happens."
“Our goal is to improve the team’s performance game by game. We need to correct what we did wrong, particularly in the second half, and continue work on the parts we did well, that is how we have been operating.
"We want to improve everyday, and we want to become a better team.”
Debutants Indonesia put up a fierce fight but lapses in concentration not only resulted in them conceding but also saw Ivar Jenner and Ramadhan Sananta sent off, which made it virtually impossible for the Southeast Asians to stage a comeback.
Head coach Shin Tae-yong, however, remained positive despite the loss, highlighting his team’s resilience and development.
“We had some chances, but it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t finish,” said Shin.
“I’m going to tell my players that they did a great job on the pitch today, and we can’t lose our confidence. I’ve already told them that they’ve done what they could today, and we need to have a good recovery to bounce back.
“Indonesian football is progressing. We didn’t give up even when we were down to one or two men.”
Indonesia play Australia on Thursday while Qatar will aim for another win when they meet Jordan.