Just 12 days into the job Jorge Fossati faces his first test as Qatar coach when his side play away at South Korea in a crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier today. The highly ambitious 2022 World Cup hosts are sixth and bottom of Group A after losing their first two games - away to Iran and, surprisingly, home to Uzbekistan - in the third round of AFC qualifying for Russia. As well as failing to register a point, Qatar are yet to score a goal in a group where the top two teams automatically qualify. Before jetting off for South Korea, Fossati said he was still hopeful that Qatar could reach their first World Cup.
"I believe that Qatar can qualify. It will be very, very difficult but I am optimistic," said the 63-year-old, conceding that third place and play-off qualification might be his team's best bet. The dismal start saw his predecessor and fellow Uruguayan Jose Daniel Carreno sacked barely a fortnight before today's crunch game.
Fossati, formerly manager of Qatari league champions Al Rayyan, will rely largely on Carreno's team, drafting just one new player into his 23-man squad. In seven matches against each other, Qatar have only beaten South Korea once, back in 1984. The two teams met at the same stage of qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup, South Korea winning 2-1 in Seoul and 4-1 in Doha.
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