Qatar, Iran clash in friendly today

Gulf-Times - THE Qatar and Iran national teams will battle it out in a friendly international football match at the Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Stadium at the Al Sadd Club today.

The kick-off is scheduled for 7.00 pm. The match was originally scheduled to be played in Tehran on Sunday but was postponed and moved to Doha due to inclement weather in the Iranian capital.

For the Qatar team, today's contest would be the first of their three preparatory matches prior to the opening match of their 2010 World Cup qualifier in Australia on February 6. Bahraini referee Jaafar al-Alawi will officiate in today's match.

The Asian Cup champions Iraq and China are also placed in Qatar's group in the World Cup qualifiers. Only two teams will advance to the next round — another group stage.

National team manager Fahd al-Kuwari has said that he is "optimistic" of the team advancing to the next round in the World Cup qualifiers but admitted that the mission was difficult. He also revealed that Qatar's striker Sebastian Soria would not be able to play in Australia after having received two yellow cards in the preliminary stages of the qualifiers and added that Australia would benefit from Soria's ban.

Meanwhile, Qatar's coach Jorge Fosatti has told reporters that today's match would be taken seriously as it is a preparatory match for the World Cup qualifiers but added that the squad suffered from a shortage of defenders.

"I know the Iranian team is also missing some key players. It would have been better if they had come full strength so that I could know the problems of my team early in order to finalise the best line up for the future." "We are missing some forwards so I will bolster the midfield," he said..