2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Individual mistakes cost Pakistan the win, says Bashir

The men in green lost the first leg to Yemen 3-1 in Doha

KARACHI: Pakistan have a lot more to do than just hope to reach the second round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the second leg against Yemen in Lahore on March 17, as the team needs to win with a margin of at least two goals.

The men in green lost their opening encounter of the two-legged preliminary qualifying round to Yemen 3-1 and captain Hassan Bashir admitted the performance was not up to mark. “It was a disappointing match,” said Bashir. “There were too many individual mistakes, but hopefully we won’t make them in the next match.

“Yemen played well but we could’ve won. Even a 2-1 score-line would’ve been better, but we are hoping for the best.”

Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) secretary Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi echoed the skipper’s sentiments, saying that the number of goals conceded should have been lesser.

The PFF had given the team ample exposure, sending the side to Malaysia and Thailand prior to the qualifier.

“We’ve sent the team on tours to improve,” said Lodhi. “A tour to one country costs at least Rs40-50 million, so you can deduce how much money we’ve put in. Losing 3-1 wouldn’t have felt so bad if we hadn’t prepared well.”

The federation will be holding the second leg at the Punjab Stadium and Lodhi feels that home support may help lift the squad’s spirits. “The stadium holds a capacity of 5,000-7,000 spectators, I hope that helps.”

Yemen had the edge the whole way: Baloch

Former Pakistan captain Ali Nawaz Baloch believes the team will need to come up with a better plan to make amends in the second leg.

According to him, Yemen will benefit from the mental edge especially after they won on a neutral venue.

“For Yemen, even Pakistan will be like a neutral venue,” said Baloch. “They weren’t playing at home because of the unrest in their country. They were still playing away so for them, playing in Pakistan or Doha is the same thing.”

Baloch added that it would take a lot for Pakistan to contain Yemen, as they will be under immense pressure to score two goals or more.

“We have both foreign and local players, but a week’s practice is not enough. All the players need more time together. It was obvious from the game, and the tours [where they lost three out of four of their matches] that they had not clicked.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, March  14^th,  2015.

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