Qatar players celebrate after they defeated China in their 2018 World Cup qualifying match held at the Jassim bin Hamad stadium in Doha yesterday. Right: Qatar coach Jose Daniel Carreno. Pictures: Anas Khalid and Noushad Thekkayil
By Joe Koraith
Doha
Qatar edged past China 1-0 yesterday to maintain their unbeaten run in their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. Karim Boudiaf scored the only goal of the match in the 23rd minute to give the home team a crucial win which sees them now lead Group C with a comfortable five-point margin.
This match was billed as the clash between the two top teams of Group C and Qatar were able to get the three points and, with three matches to go, feel confident about earning direct qualification to the third round. The first team from each of the eight groups will qualify directly and four best runners-up will also gain entry. The second option is what China will have to aim for now.
The start of the match, played at the air-conditioned Jassim bin Hamad stadium, was a frenetic affair with both teams looking to wrestle control. It was the home team that settled down quicker and then started to dominate possession. Sebastian Soria was back for Qatar and he was his usual bustling self, troubling the Chinese defence right from the start. In the sixth minute he was able to muscle a shot in but it was wide off the post. In the very next minute, Mohamed Musa set off on one of his numerous runs down the right flank and delivered a cross towards Soria. But the China keeper Wang Dalei was able to tip it away from the Qatari striker.
The Maroons continued their attack and came close again in the 10th minute. Khoukhi Boualem’s freekick took a deflection off China’s Mei Fang but Dalei pulled off a great one-handed save to deny the home side. In the first 15 minutes, Qatar had as much as 73 per cent of possession. That showed their dominance in that period.
And the hosts were able to convert that dominance into a goal in the 23rd minute. Hassan al-Haydos’ freekick curled into the box and Ji Xinag’s attempted to clear the ball with a header but only ended up deflecting it to Boudiaf who calmly headed it into the back of the net.
It was only after conceding the goal that China began to make some threatening moves, but their first real chance came close to the end of the first half. Hang Ren delivered a great cross into the box and Yu Dabao met it with a diving header but Qatar keeper Claude Amine, at full stretch, pulled off a good save. The ball spilled out of his hands but he was able to collect it safely.
The teams went into the break with China on the rise and beginning to look more threatening. The second half began with China looking to push the tempo. But it was Qatar who almost doubled their advantage in the 64th minute from a goalmouth scramble. Soria attempted to shoot twice and the ball fell to Boualem but his shot was straight at the keeper Dalei.
From here on, the game was largely played in the Qatar half as the visitors desperately looked for the equaliser. Qatar were content defending their lead. China came close in the 86th minute when substitute Yu Hanchao let loose a powerful shot from the edge of the box but it went just inches wide of the post. Amine looked unsighted by the players in front of him since he didn’t move at all. That was a lucky escape for Qatar. The hosts then held on for the rest of the match to eke out a morale-boosting victory.
Coach Jose Daniel Carreno had some nervous moments towards the end of the match when China were looking dangerous but he will be happy with the performance of the team and the crucial three points earned.
Qatar play their next match against Maldives in four days’ time at the same venue.
