Analysis: Al Haydos the catalyst as Qatar cling to World Cup hopes

Whether it will be enough to qualify the 2022 World Cup hosts for their first-ever World Cup appearance remains in doubt, but the Qataris will at least go into the penultimate round of matches with something to play for.

With two games to go, Qatar sit on seven points, five fewer than Uzbekistan but knowing that wins over Syria and China in their final two games could unlock the path to Russia 2018 via the playoffs.

Al Haydos the difference for lively Qatar

Hasan Al Haydos’ performance on Tuesday evening is the reason Qatar have even the slimmest of chances to go to the World Cup after the Al Sadd man put on a virtuoso performance that saw off Uli Stielike’s side.

It wasn’t just the two goals – including the 74th minute winner after the Koreans had fought their way level through Ki Sung-yueng and Hwang Hee-chan – but it was the all-round performance from Al Haydos that raised the level of those around him.

His opening goal, a sumptuous free kick in the 25th minute, showed his ability from dead ball situations while Akram Afif’s second for Qatar was set up thanks to Al Haydos’ deft passing and vision.

Al Haydos’s second and Qatar’s winner highlighted his ability to read the game and his understanding with team mate Rodrigo Tabata.

With a passing accuracy of 76.5 percent in the opposing team’s half and with three chances and three shots on target, there can be little doubt the identity of Qatar’s most effective player in one of the team’s best performances in recent years.

Afif plays supporting role in Soria absence

While Al Haydos, rightly, took the majority of the plaudits, this was the game where Akram Afif proved that talk the youngster is the future of the Qatar national team is starting to ring true.

Currently on the books of Spanish side Villarreal and having spent the end of last season on loan at Sporting Gijon, Afif led the attacking line in the absence of the suspended Sebastian Soria in a manner that showed he carries a significant threat up front.

While slight and diminutive, the 20-year-old’s movement, passing and ability to drop deep and work in conjunction with Al Haydos and Rodrigo Tabata gave Korea’s less-than-nimble defence continual problems until he was removed by Fossati with a quarter of the game to go.

By then he had scored a fine goal that saw him link up with Al Haydos, with Afif laying off his pass before running from deep to latch onto his team mate’s return behind the slow-turning Korean backline and then dispatch his finish with aplomb.

\n\n

With two games to go, Qatar sit on seven points, five fewer than Uzbekistan but knowing that wins over Syria and China in their final two games could unlock the path to Russia 2018 via the playoffs.

Al Haydos the difference for lively Qatar

\n\n

Hasan Al Haydos\u2019 performance on Tuesday evening is the reason Qatar have even the slimmest of chances to go to the World Cup after the Al Sadd man put on a virtuoso performance that saw off Uli Stielike\u2019s side.

It wasn\u2019t just the two goals \u2013 including the 74th\u00a0minute winner after the Koreans had fought their way level through Ki Sung-yueng and Hwang Hee-chan \u2013 but it was the all-round performance from Al Haydos that raised the level of those around him.

His opening goal, a sumptuous free kick in the 25th\u00a0minute, showed his ability from dead ball situations while Akram Afif\u2019s second for Qatar was set up thanks to Al Haydos\u2019 deft passing and vision.\u00a0

Al Haydos\u2019s second and Qatar\u2019s winner highlighted his ability to read the game and his understanding with team mate Rodrigo Tabata.

With a passing accuracy of 76.5 percent in the opposing team\u2019s half and with three chances and three shots on target, there can be little doubt the identity of Qatar\u2019s most effective player in one of the team\u2019s best performances in recent years.

Afif\u00a0plays supporting role in Soria absence

\n\n

While Al Haydos, rightly, took the majority of the plaudits, this was the game where Akram Afif proved that talk the youngster is the future of the Qatar national team is starting to ring true.

While slight and diminutive, the 20-year-old\u2019s movement, passing and ability to drop deep and work in conjunction with Al Haydos and Rodrigo Tabata gave Korea\u2019s less-than-nimble defence continual problems until he was removed by Fossati with a quarter of the game to go.

By then he had scored a fine goal that saw him link up with Al Haydos, with Afif laying off his pass before running from deep to latch onto his team mate\u2019s return behind the slow-turning Korean backline and then dispatch his finish with aplomb.

", "headline": "Analysis: Al Haydos the catalyst as Qatar cling to World Cup hopes", "description": "Doha:\u00a0With two goals and an assist, Hasan Al Haydos provided the spark that belatedly ignited Qatar\u2019s attempt to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia next year as Jorge Fossati\u2019s team earned the country a surprise win over Korea Republic.\r\n", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "url": "https://www.the-afc.com/", "name": "the AFC" }, "image": "https://assets.the-afc.com/migration/y/8/y8rlhnojs47lbclvasts.jpg", "isAccessibleForFree": true, "datePublished": "2017-06-16", "url": "www.the-afc.com/en/national/fifa_world_cup/news/analysis_al_haydos_the_catalyst_as_qatar_cling_to_world_cup_hopes.html" }