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6 juin 2023
Qatar 0-0 (4-3 pen) Australia : Post-game reactions
After a rough game ended by a draw (0-0), Qatar won an extra point thanks to the penalty shootout. Here are the post-game reactions of both sides.
Bruno Pinheiro (Qatar head coach) :
"I felt that my players were a bit scared at the beginning of the match, but after the cooling break, I tried to give them certain instructions. From that point on, I found them more liberated, and the game became more balanced.
We were often pressed high up the field, but we always had the ability to play out from the back cleanly. It's our playing philosophy in Qatar, although we struggled to find players in open spaces higher up the field, even when we had a numerical advantage.
It's a very young team. Today, we fielded six players who were under 20 years old. I'm very proud of my players who did a fantastic job and were able to make the difference in the penalty shootout. It's well-deserved for them.
In this tournament, we have two aims: to observe and see if the players can adapt to our system of play, and the other is to see if our players have the ability to compete against top-tier teams."
Yousef Balideh (Qatar goalkeeper) :
"At the beginning, we didn't read their style of play. But the coach provided us with details and advice. We worked on those suggestions, applied them in the game, and it improved afterwards.
We're not here to just make up the numbers in the tournament; we want to stay until the very end. We've been working for a long time to be here, and we want to win the tournament."
Tony Vidmar (Australia head coach) :
"We knew what to expect from the Qatar team, especially in terms of ball possession. They have dangerous players in attack, but they are also solid in defense and defend as a unit. We knew we had to overcome them. I feel that we did that very well in the first half. We created many chances. Unfortunately for us, we couldn't convert them into goals. I feel disappointed that we didn't win the match within the 90 minutes.
I thought we were the better team. As I said, we created some beautiful opportunities, and for the next match, I hope we can capitalize on them. I believe the more we play together, the better our chances of winning."
Louis D'Arrigo (Australia midfielder) :
"We lacked the final pass today, and I have the same analysis as the boss regarding the match. We faced a good team, well-structured. We spent a lot of time in their half, their goalkeeper made a save with his face. It's part of the game, but I think we could have scored 1, 2, or 3 goals. I believe our performance is very positive, and we will analyze it as a team and work together to improve.
We have many players on the bench who can come in. There will be a lot of rotations. When the opportunity arises, we will seize it. But everything is positive, and we are ready for the next match.
I don't think the heat was a problem. I play in Australia, and we play in 36°C heat. I'm sure that Qatar also plays in such conditions. A player told me it was very hot. I responded that it wasn't a problem. So everything was fine."
