Qatar opened their World Cup qualifiers with a 0-0 draw against Oman, as Julen Lopetegui stressed the importance of “not losing on tough days” and Carlos Queiroz rejected talk of conspiracies, blaming poor scheduling instead.
Both Julen Lopetegui and Carlos Queiroz appeared to share the view that avoiding defeat mattered more than chasing a risky win in a high-stakes qualifier.
Qatar and Oman played out a cagey 0-0 draw on Wednesday at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, missing the chance to grab an early advantage in the fourth round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers.
The result leaves both teams’ progress dependent on their upcoming matches against the United Arab Emirates.
For Qatar, the stalemate will feel like a bigger missed opportunity, given they were at home in front of more than 12,000 fans and carved out the clearer chances. Talisman Akram Afif came closest, but he failed to hit the target.
“It was a very tough match, both mentally and physically,” Qatar’s head coach, Lopetegui, said after the game. “In stages like these, it is important that in the days that you cannot win, you do not lose.”
Despite enjoying the bulk of possession and limiting Oman to few threats, Qatar’s lack of cutting edge in attack was exposed. Except for a bright start to the second half, Al Annabi’s strong support in the stands did not carry through onto the pitch.
Lopetegui took some comfort from his side’s defensive resilience, pointing to the clean sheet as a positive. But he acknowledged that the next test against the UAE will be difficult. The Emiratis had undone Qatar in the previous round with a 3-1 opening win, followed by a 5-0 thrashing.
“My confidence is not more or less than before,” Lopetegui said, when asked by Doha News if his assessment had drawn any conclusions for the UAE game.
He admitted his squad was struggling with injuries, which forced him to field what he described as the strongest line-up available. Afif and captain Boualem Khoukhi were both withdrawn with injury concerns.
Still, Lopetegui stressed that his team was moving in the right direction.
“I trust in the team, and they have been working very well. We have a big and extraordinary challenge in front of us, a big dream which has never happened before,” he said. “We are halfway there, so we just have to continue.”
Queiroz rejects ‘conspiracy’ claims
Oman coach Carlos Queiroz, meanwhile, dismissed suggestions that his side was the victim of a plot to derail their qualification hopes, after his fiery comments in the build-up.
On Tuesday, the Portuguese coach had complained about “unfair adversities,” pointing to Qatar’s longer rest period between fixtures and the advantage of playing at home.
Clarifying his remarks, Queiroz said after the match: “The conditions should be under the ethics of fair play”, claiming that the scheduling had still been a mistake.
“The people who are making these regulations are not doing a good job, in my opinion. But it has nothing to do with conspiracy or suspicion,” he said.
He praised his players for sticking to the plan, insisting Qatar’s only real chance came from an Omani mistake.
Oman face the UAE on Saturday, while Qatar have until Tuesday to prepare for their regional rivals.
Similarly, Queiroz maintained that his players executed the plan well and except for one occasion, the team did well.
“The best chance of the game that fell for Qatar was because we made a mistake,” he explained. “It was nothing that Qatar built themselves, and they were not allowed to come inside our box afterwards.”
Oman will face the UAE on Saturday, while Qatar will have until Tuesday to prepare against their neighbouring rivals in a match set to be the potential decider for the remaining FIFA World Cup 2026 berth.
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