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Sports / Qatar Sport

World Cup-bound Iceland to play in Qatar

Published: 19 Oct 2017 - 10:18 am | Last Updated: 08 Nov 2021 - 03:21 am
Iceland’s players Johann Berg Gudmundsson (left) and Alfred Finnbogason celebrate after the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification match against Kosovo in Reykjavik, Iceland in this October 9 file picture.

Iceland’s players Johann Berg Gudmundsson (left) and Alfred Finnbogason celebrate after the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification match against Kosovo in Reykjavik, Iceland in this October 9 file picture.

The Peninsula

Qatar will feature in two international friendlies involving World Cup-bound Iceland and European powerhouse the Czech Republic, Qatar Football Association (QFA) announced yesterday.

Iceland will take on the Czechs on November 8. The opening international will be followed by a game between hosts Qatar and the Czech Republic on November 11. In the third international friendly, Qatar will play Iceland on November 14.

A QFA official said coach Felix Sanchez will also be looking to try new players in a bid to form a powerful side in the build-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Earlier this month, Qatar beat Singapore 3-1 in Doha before conceding a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Curacao.

After making a splash in their first foray into international football tournaments in Euro 2016; Iceland (ranked 21st in FIFA Rankings) are going to feature at next year’s World Cup 2018.

In 2016, the Scandinavian side presented a fierce appetite for tough football by beating former world Champions England before losing in the quarterfinals to hosts France. This great form continued throughout their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign as they dominated group I above the likes of Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey.

The Czech Republic, a traditional powerhouse in international football, did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Currently ranked at 48, the Nároďák competed in Group C in the European zone where they finished third behind Germany and Northern Ireland.