DOHA: Qatar will look to solidify their chances of automatic qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 when they face Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday at Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in their eighth Group A match of the AFC qualifiers.
The hosts currently sit in fifth place with just three points, and a defeat would officially end their qualification hopes. Meanwhile, Qatar holds fourth place with 10 points and occupies the second of two spots leading to the fourth round, making this a crucial fixture in their campaign.
Kyrgyz Republic head coach, Maksim Lisitsyn, highlighted the challenging nature of his team’s upcoming match against Qatar on Tuesday, as part of Group A competitions in the FIFA World Cup 26 qualifiers.
During a press conference on Monday, the head coach said that the Kyrgyzstan team is well aware of the challenge ahead of them, facing a strong team with skillful players and great abilities.
He however, expressed confidence in his players’ ability to handle the match accordingly.
Lisitsyn said that his team will seek to make up for the previous loss against Uzbekistan, 1-0, explaining the loss as being the result of a lack of experience, in addition to the repercussion of finishing the match with ten players only.
The Kyrgyz Republic head coach said that preparations for the Qatar match have been going well, stressing his players’ readiness to deliver their best performance and noting that they are aiming to achieve victory, with the help of strong fan support.