Qatar Mind Games
Qatar flew into Vietnam behind schedule late Friday from Bangkok but Bosnian coach Dzemaludin Musovic insisted there were no "mind games" behind his team's late arrival as they prepare for their opening game against defending Asian champions Japan.
"How many days do you think one team must come before match day? Just two days and that's enough," Musovic told reporters after Qatar practiced for the first time at the 40,000 capacity My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, the venue for the teams' Group B match.
Qatar postponed their arrival in Vietnam twice by a total of two days without giving any specific explanation, according to the Asian Football Confederation media office. The move was seen by the voracious Japanese media as Qatari "mind games" aimed at shielding the Qatari team from the news hungry Japanese reporters.
The Qataris underwent an intensive 10-day training camp in Bangkok acclimatizing to the hot and humid weather before travelling for their match with the current Asian champions.
The Japanese squad, meanwhile, have only just arrived in the Vietnamese capital and are struggling to adapt to the hot and humid conditions.
Hotels in Bangkok - Booking.com
Hotels in Kuala Lumpur - Booking.com
Hotels in Jakarta - Booking.com
Hotels in Hanoi - Booking.com
Hotels in Ho Chi Minh - Booking.com
World Soccer News
© Soccerphile.com