WC Qualifying Review (Round 3 MD5)

We have reached the half way point of the final round of World Cup Qualification in Asia, and consequently are about to start a long (northern hemisphere) winter break that’ll stretch right through until March. In that regard, there were plenty of manager’s sweating it out, that their employment wouldn’t stretch into the new year, with Mahdi Ali (UAE), Vahid Halilhodzic (Japan) and Uli Stielike (Korea Republic), all in the firing line if they slipped up. In the end all three found the result they were looking for, but that’s hardly a guarantee in two of their cases, given their public image at present.

Back with the football itself, here are my player, team and talking point of the round, ahead of a lengthy 4 month gap. What is for certain, each team will go into this break with at least a few questions of their side going forward.

The Player

This round of matches in the end were all about Thailand. From underneath a solemn cloud following the death of King Bhumibol last month, an emotional draw at home to Australia will universally go down well in the country. Amidst what was by definition a team performance, striker Teerasil Dangda stood out, not only for his two goals that threatened to steal all three points from the Asian champions no less, but for his all-round contribution.

Facing Australia, arguably the best all round team in Asia was their toughest assignment so far, however through the passion and tactical master plan of coach Kiatisuk Senamuang they could’ve easily won, rather than taking just their first point of Round 3. Despite only being 28, Teerasil was the old head amongst an up and coming young bunch of players, and defended from the front immediately. His first goal illustrated his predatory instincts to float offside before pouncing in the second phase, to nip past Maty Ryan and slot home for Thailand’s equaliser.

For his second, showing his cool edge, he slotted away a second half penalty to well up the packed Rajamangala National Stadium. A perfect result tainted later on by the Socceroos equaliser, but this more than a result this was a country coming together through football. The team itself is building up well also, spearheaded by the likes of Teerasil and Adisak Kraisorn, who was absent through injury for this one; they are going in the right direction. Going into next week’s Suzuki Cup, Thailand and Teerasil will look to retain their trophy in the late King’s memory.

The Team

In a round where Thailand hogged much of the positive spotlight, much could be lost around the progression of fellow Group A competitors UAE, who moved within 1 point of top spot with a comfortable win over Iraq on Tuesday. The Emirati national side have won 3 from their 5 matches in this round, but have been highly scorned for being too stuck in their ways, put squarely on the head of coach Mahdi Ali, who finishes the year with yet more uncertainty hanging over him.

For me, Ali has been one of the most consistent coaches in Asia over the last 5 years. Qualification for the 2012 Olympics, an Asian Cup bronze, and as it stands a solid campaign to qualify for Russia in 2018, however fans are looking for more. There were contradictory reports that Tuesday’s match would’ve been Ali’s last in charge, something that has been swiftly denied by the FA, but given where they stand at this current time, would a change really help their cause?

While the match barely saw UAE get out of 3rd gear, the hallmarks of their recent rise were all there to be seen. Ahmed Khalil scored his 15th goal of the campaign, the highest of anyone in qualification, and what a goal it was, thundering past Mohammed Hameed at his near post. There was a well-crafted assist for Ali Mabkhout later on, and a return to his domineering best for Mohanad Salem in defence. All it missed was an Omar Abdulrahman wonder show, but we can’t have that every week, can we?

The Talking Point

It was a strange international week for Qatar, a week where fans of the national team are left thinking whether they should be positive or frustrated. An almost historic 2-1 victory over 2018 World Cup hosts Russia on the previous Thursday was a bolt of light; they played on the attacking foot, controlling possession and offering bodies and plenty of movement in attack. When it came to their qualifier in Kunming against China however, the strategy had changed, which in the long run looks to have derailed any glimmer of hope left in this qualification round.

Going into the match, the press conference talk pumped up a positive approach from the Qataris. They needed the victory, as did their hosts, anything less and they’d continue to be way off the pace going into the second half of Round 3. Instead we saw a return to the defensive 5221 formation that was deployed against Korea Republic in Seoul last month, a worthy set up when going for a draw, but given the circumstances and the shakiness of the opposition, should they have gone for more?

Granted suspensions to Ahmed Yasser and Abdelkarim Hassan in particular meant for a forced personnel shake up, but we were left short changed by the non-appearance of Akram Afif off the bench for the duration against China. It was clear that this result was what was required by boss Jorge Fossati, who will assumingly now return to their former more balanced approach when facing Korea at home next month. While the optimistic bubble created by Fossati’s appointment hasn’t burst just yet, on the back of an uninspiring draw with the group’s bottom side, it’s now a tad deflated.