Qatar seek momentum against Canada after opening World Cup draw

Qatar's midfielder Karim Boudiaf stated that the team is well-prepared and determined to build on their opening draw as they face co-hosts Canada in their World Cup Group B clash in Vancouver. Both teams began their tournament journeys with identical 1-1 results; Canada was held by Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, while Qatar shared the spoils with Switzerland in California.

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We are preparing very well for the Canada match. We fully understand the importance of this match for us and know it will be an important stage in our tournament journey.

Qatar is looking to surpass their performance from their sole previous World Cup appearance in 2022, where they exited the tournament without a single point. Boudiaf emphasized the importance of the upcoming match, acknowledging the challenge posed by Canada's quality players and the advantage of playing on home turf in front of their fans.

"We know very well that the match will not be easy at all," Boudiaf told Qatari newspaper Al Raya. "The Canada team has quality players and will be playing on their home soil and in front of their fans, which gives them extra motivation. But we also have great ambition and determination to deliver our best and achieve a positive result."

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We know very well that the match will not be easy at all. The Canada team has quality players and will be playing on their home soil and in front of their fans, which gives them extra motivation. But we also have great ambition and determination to deliver our best and achieve a positive result.

He added that the team will enter the match with high focus and morale following their first-round result. Qatar, with a squad largely drawn from their domestic league, has developed a cohesive unit that has achieved success in Asia, including back-to-back Asian Cup titles. While the pressure may be less intense than during the 2022 finals hosted by Qatar, the team's recent achievements have raised expectations for their performance in this finely balanced group.

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We will enter the match with high focus and high morale after the result we achieved in the first round. The players have a great desire to continue working with the same seriousness and discipline, and our goal is clear: to return with a positive result that gives us more confidence before continuing our tournament journey.