Caitlin Dillon
As hosts Qatar gear up for the opening match of the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup, coach Felix Sanchez reflects on the year that the national team have already had, having made history at the beginning of 2019 with their maiden AFC Asian Cup win,
“We’re all starting with the same possibilities, and we need to face the competition in the same way that we did in the last Asian Cup.” He stated at a press conference yesterday, continuing,
“We know that this is the past, we don’t have to forget our great historical achievement, but this is another competition.”
Iraq’s national team have already had an unusual start to their Gulf Cup campaign, traveling to Doha with only 11 players, due in part to injuries, and in part to squad members’ prior club commitments.
Unsurprisingly, Srecko Katanec, Iraq’s Head Coach, sounded significantly less confident,
“To play against one of the best Asian teams is wonderful and the atmosphere here is very wonderful, tomorrow (today) everything is possible and our situation is difficult but I have no excuses,” adding,
“I expect a lot, and nothing.”
Qatar’s long track record against Iraq is historically fairly even, however, the Qatari side remains unbeaten so far this season.
Since Sanchez was appointed Al Annabi’s manager in July of 2017, Qatar and Iraq have come face to face three times, with Qatar winning two of the three. However, the last time Qatar beat Iraq in a Gulf Cup fixture was in 1984.
The teams most recently met during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, in which Qatar beat Iraq 1-0, with naturalised Iraqi-born Bassam Al-Rawi slotting the controversial winning goal.