Qatar is still celebrating its successful 2022 World Cup bid, but will need something of a miracle to reach similar success on the pitch when it hosts football's Asian Cup this month.
Ranked only ahead of India in the 16-team tournament, Qatar will have to tap into some of the excitement and expectation around its successful World Cup bid as it attempts to progress past the group stages for just the second time in its history.
The tiny desert nation has lost to the likes of Haiti in recent months and dropped to 114th in the FIFA world rankings, leaving the likes of three-time winner Saudi Arabia and improving sides like Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to carry the Gulf's hopes into the knock-out stages of the tournament.
Still, Qatar's charismatic coach Bruno Metsu insists his team should not be taken lightly ahead of its opening match against central Asian power Uzbekistan on Friday after it recently upset Egypt and beat Estonia in friendly matches. It's also grouped with underperforming, China which gives it some chance of advancing.
''We won against Egypt, we won against Estonia and we drew against Iran. These are very tough teams,'' Metsu said in an interview posted on the Asian Football Confederation website.
Despite its standing, Qatar has had success in the past and reached as high as 58th in the FIFA rankings. It won the Gulf Cup in 2004 and the Asian Games gold medal in 2006.
''Our goal is to reach the final match,'' said Said al-Massnad, a Qatari assistant coach. ''As for the keys for success, it all depends on two important elements. The first is the support we get from the people since this championship will be held on their land and the second element is luck.''
Qatar stunned the footballing world in December when it was chosen over the likes of the United States, Japan and Australia to host the 2022 World Cup despite the searing summer heat and its tiny size. For supporters, the choice of Qatar was a chance to make history by bringing the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time and a reflection of the fact that the Gulf has become a major player on the international sports scene hosting everything from F1 races to top-tier football matches to the Asian Games.
As a result of its World Cup bid, the Asian tournament now will be seen in a much different light. It will be a chance for Qatar to show off its country and demonstrate it can hold a major tournament that runs well.
Even if Qatar falters on the field, Gulf football fans can expect one of its neighbors to make a good run in the tournament. The most likely is Saudi Arabia which lost to Iraq in the final in 2007 and last won the tournament in 1996. It was also a runner-up in 2000.
Spearheaded by striker Yasser ''the sniper'' al-Qahtani, the team has long had one of the most potent offensives of any Gulf team. But it struggled to score goals on its way to losing to Kuwait in the Gulf Cup final this year and has dropped in the rankings from 48th in December 2008 to its current 81st.
''We would like to be the first Asian team to win the championship four times, and this is possible for the team,'' coach Jose Peseiro said on the Saudi football federation website, dismissing complaints about the team's tepid offense.
''I always play aggressively, and in the Gulf Cup final we were close to scoring against Kuwait,'' said the Portuguese tactician, who coached several big clubs in Europe including Greek side Panathinaikos. ''We had the ball and attacked us but we could not win. I will continue to play the same method that I know.''
Kuwait's Gulf Cup victory has given it momentum coming into the tournament and a belief that it can rekindle the glory days when it won the Asian Cup in 1976 and finished second in 1980. Its good run has continued in recent weeks, with victories over Zambia and North Korea.
''The group where Kuwait's team is playing is a strong one,'' coach Abdul-Aziz Hamada said. ''But the Kuwait team is capable of qualifying from the group given our high morale after capturing the title in the Gulf Cup.''
Kuwait captain Nawaf al-Khaldi said he is most worried about the team's group match Jan.17 against Qatar given that it is ''playing on its home ground and among its supporters.''
''I imagine the match would be vengeful because the Qatari team lost to Kuwait in Yemen,'' he said. ''Now they are hoping to take revenge.''
The UAE - which lost to the Saudis in the 1996 final - have some of the best young players in the Gulf and could be the surprise package of the tournament. It won silver at the Asian Games after a 1-0 loss to Japan and easily beat Syria 2-0 in a friendly earlier this month.
Bahrain, meanwhile, has seen its title hopes undermined by injuries and a sudden departure of its coach Josef Hickersberger of Austrian in October. After coming close to qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, its expectations in Doha have been dampened by the loss of captain Mohammed Salmeen, who broke his leg in a friendly against Jordan, and injuries to several others including midfielder Hussain Salman.
Jordan and Syria are likely to be easy pickings in their group, which includes Saudi Arabia and East Asian power Japan. The teams -ranked 104th and 107th respectively - have never done much on the international stage and there are few signs that will change this time around.
''We are fully aware that our group is difficult because it includes strong teams,'' Jordan's coach Osama Talal. ''We know that are chances are limited in winning the Asia Cup, but our young players will do their best to achieve good results and at least reach the second round.''
---
Associated Press Writer Sameer Yacoub in Amman, Jordan and Albert Ajim in Damascus, Syria contributed to this report.
