Qatar

Asian Cup 2011 Teams: Qatar

Road to Qatar

The host nation received an automatic bye to the 15th Asian Cup finals.

The tournament will be the second time it has been hosted by Qatar, the other being in 1988 when they failed to take full advantage of playing on familiar territory by winning two and losing two in the group stage.

Fixtures

Group A

Qatar v Uzbekistan; 7 January 2011, Khalifa, Doha

Qatar v China; 12 January 2011, Khalifa, Doha

Qatar v Kuwait; 16 January 2011, Khalifa, Doha

Analysis

The Qataris have a fine recent record in tournaments played at home, winning the Gulf Cup in 2004 and securing the gold medal at the Asian Games two years later, and the country has also recently been buoyed by the awarding of the hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup.

The momentum generated on the back of becoming the first Middle Eastern nation to secure a World Cup finals - in tandem with friendly victories over Estonia and ninth-ranked Egypt in late 2010 - have offered the side a glimmer of hope of improving on their quarter-final berth in the 2000 competition. But a porous defence could be their undoing.

Key player: Sebastian Soria

Coach Bruno Metsu has fewer headaches in attack mind with Uruguay-born striker Sebastian Soria of Qatar SC and captain Yousuf Ahmed, the Al Sadd striker. Soria has become arguably the most popular of the many naturalised players in the Qatari national side since his international debut for his adopted country in 2006. The 2008 Asian Football Player of the Year nominee has been in relentless form in front of goal (including the opener in the win over Egypt in December) and has set his sights on playing in the upper echelons of Europe despite being rejected in his homeland as a youngster.

One to watch: Hussein Yasser

Qatar-born attacking midfielder Hussein Yasser has an Egyptian father and plies his trade for Zamalek in Egypt after brief spells in Europe with Manchester City and Sporting Braga.

Coach: Bruno Metsu

Enigmatic Frenchman Bruno Metsu, a converted Muslim following his highly successful spell in charge of Senegal (he is also known as Abdul Karim), managed the United Arab Emirates at the 2007 tournament - albeit unsuccessfully - and has a history of coaxing the best from sparse resources. The shaggy-haired Metsu has a good track record in the Middle East, guiding the UAE to Gulf Cup success in 2007 and club side Al-Ain to the Asian Champions League title in 2003.

Record

2000; Quarter-finals, 2004; Group stage, 2007; Group stage

Soccerphile says

Qatar make their eighth appearance at the Asian Cup finals ranked in their lowest position (114) since Fifa's rankings began in the early 1990s but home advantage could be a deciding factor.

The Squad

Goalkeepers: Qasem Burhan (Al-Gharrafa), Mohammad Budawood (Al-Rayyan), Saad Al Sheeb (Al-Sadd)
Defenders: Hamid Ismail (Al-Rayyan), Mohammed Kasola (Al-Sadd), Bilal Mohammed (Al-Gharrafa), Mesaad Al-Hamad (Al-Sadd), Ibrahim Majid (Al-Sadd), Musa Haroon (Al-Arabi), Ibrahim Al-Ghanim (Al-Gharrafa)
Midfielders: Lawrence Quaye (Al-Gharrafa), Majdi Siddiq (Al-Sadd), Wesam Rizik (Al-Sadd), Hussein Yasser (Al-Zamalek), Fabio Cesar Montezine (Al-Rayyan), Khalfan Ibrahim (Al-Sadd), Talal Al-Bloushi (Al-Sadd), Khaled Muftah (Lekhwiya)
Forwards: Jaralla Al Marri (Al-Rayyan), Yusef Ali (Al-Sadd), Mohamed Elsayed (Al-Sadd), Ali Hassan Yahya (Al-Sadd), Sebastian Soria (Qatar SC)

The winner of the Asian Cup takes part in the Confederations Cup.

Our partner site QatarVisitor.com based in Doha carries all the necessary details on attending the event including travel, visa and hotel information.

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