1 puntje voor Qatar
China yesterday grabbed a valuable point by holding hosts Qatar to a goalless draw in their FIFA 2010 World Cup qualifying match at Al Sadd Stadium.
In what were extremely trying conditions, a 0-0 result was the likely outcome after both teams missed numerous chances to score in front of a healthy crowd of nearly 12,000.
In Group 1, Qatar now trail leaders Australia (seven) with four points from three matches. China are in third place with three points. Qatar play the return match in Tianjin, China, on June 7.
“I don't want to blame my players for the draw. They played really well especially in the second half. We don't have much time to prepare for the return match but we will try our best to get a positive result,” said Qatar’s coach Jorge Fossati.
Qatar team poses for a picture before the start of the match.
Chinese coach Vladimir Petrovic said: “Draw is a good result for us despite tough weather conditions. We had come here to win but we are happy getting one point.”
Midfielder Jihai Sun broke the stalemate of dull football in the 15th minute when he aimed for the far post from the edge of Qatar box. Despite getting a clear shot, Sun’s slightly wayward shot missed the target by a few inches with only home goalkeeper Mohammed Saqr to beat.
In the 26th minute, Qatar’s ace striker Sebastian Soria caught the Chinese defence unawares — he had just the goal-keeper to go past — but not the linesman, who swiftly declared the Uruguayan as offside. Three minutes later, Soria wasted another chance to score as the high-scoring forward slipped inside the Chinese box while aiming for the goal off a corner kick.
In somewhat bizarre circumstances, referee showed Chinese goalkeeper Zhen Song the yellow card for time-wasting — in what was just the 30th minute of the first half.
In the 38th minute, Qatari defender Marcone Junior leapt high inside the Chinese box but his snap-header — off a free kick — narrowly missed the top bar.
Striker Yasser Hussain, Qatar’s only player to have played for English and Belgian clubs, missed an easy chance to score in the 41st minute. Hussain, playing in place of suspended striker Emerson, aimed for the goal from close range but his feeble shot was flicked by goalkeeper Song.
In what were sapping and trying playing conditions, both teams clearly struggled for ball possession in this crucial Group 1 match. On a day when Qatar saw temperature touching 50 C in the afternoon, Chinese players clearly failed to impress with their defensive tactics.
Neither team could dominate the proceedings, owing to hot and humid conditions that even forced the linesmen to pause for water breaks during play.
Unlike the first half, when the home team could barely find rhythm, Qatar applied early pressure in the second half with striker Soria coming close to scoring on two occasions, but the Uruguayan-born striker miss-fired from close range.
In the 68th minute, substitute Fabio Montesin outran a Chinese defender, but the goalkeeper for the visitors provided decent cover to stop the ball aimed at him from close range. Six minutes from time, Qatar goalkeeper Saqr showed quick feet by charging out of the box to stop a lose ball chased by substitute Jian Lui.
In the 88th minute, substitute Syde Bechir flicked one from close range, but his shot bounced off the top bar in what was the best chance for the home to score. The ball was quickly grabbed by Soria, whose shot was smartly saved by Chinese goalkeeper Song
In what were extremely trying conditions, a 0-0 result was the likely outcome after both teams missed numerous chances to score in front of a healthy crowd of nearly 12,000.
In Group 1, Qatar now trail leaders Australia (seven) with four points from three matches. China are in third place with three points. Qatar play the return match in Tianjin, China, on June 7.
“I don't want to blame my players for the draw. They played really well especially in the second half. We don't have much time to prepare for the return match but we will try our best to get a positive result,” said Qatar’s coach Jorge Fossati.
Qatar team poses for a picture before the start of the match.
Chinese coach Vladimir Petrovic said: “Draw is a good result for us despite tough weather conditions. We had come here to win but we are happy getting one point.”
Midfielder Jihai Sun broke the stalemate of dull football in the 15th minute when he aimed for the far post from the edge of Qatar box. Despite getting a clear shot, Sun’s slightly wayward shot missed the target by a few inches with only home goalkeeper Mohammed Saqr to beat.
In the 26th minute, Qatar’s ace striker Sebastian Soria caught the Chinese defence unawares — he had just the goal-keeper to go past — but not the linesman, who swiftly declared the Uruguayan as offside. Three minutes later, Soria wasted another chance to score as the high-scoring forward slipped inside the Chinese box while aiming for the goal off a corner kick.
In somewhat bizarre circumstances, referee showed Chinese goalkeeper Zhen Song the yellow card for time-wasting — in what was just the 30th minute of the first half.
In the 38th minute, Qatari defender Marcone Junior leapt high inside the Chinese box but his snap-header — off a free kick — narrowly missed the top bar.
Striker Yasser Hussain, Qatar’s only player to have played for English and Belgian clubs, missed an easy chance to score in the 41st minute. Hussain, playing in place of suspended striker Emerson, aimed for the goal from close range but his feeble shot was flicked by goalkeeper Song.
In what were sapping and trying playing conditions, both teams clearly struggled for ball possession in this crucial Group 1 match. On a day when Qatar saw temperature touching 50 C in the afternoon, Chinese players clearly failed to impress with their defensive tactics.
Neither team could dominate the proceedings, owing to hot and humid conditions that even forced the linesmen to pause for water breaks during play.
Unlike the first half, when the home team could barely find rhythm, Qatar applied early pressure in the second half with striker Soria coming close to scoring on two occasions, but the Uruguayan-born striker miss-fired from close range.
In the 68th minute, substitute Fabio Montesin outran a Chinese defender, but the goalkeeper for the visitors provided decent cover to stop the ball aimed at him from close range. Six minutes from time, Qatar goalkeeper Saqr showed quick feet by charging out of the box to stop a lose ball chased by substitute Jian Lui.
In the 88th minute, substitute Syde Bechir flicked one from close range, but his shot bounced off the top bar in what was the best chance for the home to score. The ball was quickly grabbed by Soria, whose shot was smartly saved by Chinese goalkeeper Song
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