AP

World Cup host Qatar must conquer nerves before Senegal

Nov 23, 2022, 10:59 AM | Updated: Nov 24, 2022, 3:41 am

Qatar's Mohammed Muntari reacts after missing a chance to score during the World Cup, group A socce...

Qatar's Mohammed Muntari reacts after missing a chance to score during the World Cup, group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

(AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)


              Senegal's Pape Abou Cisse, right, and Teun Koopmeiners of the Netherlands go for a header during the World Cup, group A soccer match between Senegal and Netherlands at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
            
              Qatar's head coach Felix Sanchez gestures during the World Cup group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor ,Qatar, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
            
              Qatar's Pedro Miguel lies during a World Cup group A soccer match against Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor , Qatar, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
            
              Ecuador's Felix Torres, center, duels for the ball with Qatar's Abdulaziz Hatem, right, during the World Cup, group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
            
              Qatar's Mohammed Muntari reacts after missing a chance to score during the World Cup, group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
            
              Senegal's head coach Aliou Cisse reacts during the World Cup, group A soccer match between Senegal and Netherlands at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — There’s a good chance the World Cup will go from bad to worse for the Qatar team if the players don’t conquer their nerves when they face African champion Senegal in their second group match.

“We usually say that you learn from mistakes.” Qatar’s Spanish coach Felix Sanchez said on Thursday. “Let’s hope that we’ve freed ourselves from all this pressure or tension that was there on the first day.”

The Qataris are already the first hosts to lose the opening game of a World Cup after they were overwhelmed by their nation’s biggest sporting occasion in a 2-0 Group A defeat to Ecuador on Sunday.

That puts them in danger of also being only the second host after South Africa in 2010 to be eliminated in the group stage.

But what about losing every game? Or the dismal prospect of failing to score a goal at their home World Cup?

That would likely pile even more criticism on FIFA’s decision to award the World Cup to the small but very wealthy Gulf emirate that had never qualified for the game’s biggest tournament before winning the right to host it 12 years ago.

Qatar’s next chance to show it deserves a place on a World Cup field comes Friday against Senegal, a team still boasting an array of players from the top leagues in England, Spain, Italy and France even if it is missing injured forward Sadio Mane.

“Let us compete at our highest level and show that we can compete much more than we did the other day, regardless of the result,” Sanchez said.

Qatar might be the 2019 Asian champion, but every squad member plays for a local club at home in an indicator maybe of the gap between them and the standard required at a World Cup.

Sanchez suggested the World Cup was part of a longer-term project to develop soccer in the Gulf country.

“We are a small country with a very small population. I don’t know if there is any other country that has organized a World Cup like Qatar,” Sanchez said. “I am convinced that after the World Cup, Qatar will continue to work so that the level of its soccer continues to improve within the possibilities and limitations we have.”

Qatar’s struggles also stand out after other teams from Arab countries have made themselves more at home at the first World Cup in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s colossal upset defeat of Argentina was followed by impressive performances from Tunisia and Morocco in the tournament’s first week.

Senegal also slipped to an opening loss at the World Cup but troubled a strong Netherlands team before second-half injuries to midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate and defender Abdou Diallo interrupted the West Africans’ rhythm and the Dutch took advantage to score two late goals.

“Senegal was not bad. We stood up to one of the best teams in the world, with world-class players,” Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said. “I’m very happy with my players, very proud of my players.”

Cisse said Diallo resumed training Wednesday and “it went very well, I hope he’ll be on the training field today and we’ll see how it goes.” Kouyate remains doubtful to play against Qatar.

Cisse said the focus for his team is up front, where he has high expectations for a new forward line combination of Ismaila Sarr, Boulaye Dia and Krepin Diatta.

“Scoring is a state of mind. You need a certain aggression to put the ball in the back of the net. Our forwards are capable of scoring. They’ve shown this already in the past,” Cisse said. “I’m certain they’ll show it again tomorrow.”

They didn’t quite get it right in their first game together after Mane was ruled out, but if they do against Qatar as Cisse expects it could be another long day at the World Cup for the hosts.

___

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

World Cup host Qatar must conquer nerves before Senegal