Qatar skipper Hassan Al Haydos celebrates with team-mate Akram Afif after scoring the opening goal in yesterday’s match against Iceland.
EUPEN, Belgium: Qatar yesterday produced a fighting 2-2 draw against World Cup side Iceland in an international friendly.
Captain Hassan Al Haydos (3) and Bualem Khoukhi (68) struck once in each half as Qatar fought off freezing cold conditions to earn the draw.
It was a positive result for coach Felix Sanchez and his boys who stunned Switzerland 1-0 in their international friendly in Lugano four days ago.
Ari Freyr Skulason (29) and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (56) scored the goals for Iceland.
At Kehrwegstadion in Eupen, Al Annabi were up against not only a strong Icelandic outfit - ranked 36th on the FIFA computer - but also the cold weather hovering around two degrees Celsius.
However, the morale boosting win against eighth ranked Switzerland last Wednesday, had a big impact on Qatari players’ confidence against Iceland who featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia earlier this year.
The confidence was clearly visible yesterday when Al Haydos put his side on top in as early as third minute.
The Qatari captain brilliantly executed a direct free-kick from the left side of the box, beating Icelandic goalkeeper Runar Runarsson as the ball flew into the top right corner of the net to make it 1-0 in favour of the visitors.
Iceland reduced the deficit in the 29th minute when defender Skulason made the best out of a free-kick when his left-footed shot from outside the box flew like a bullet into the top right corner.
Both teams were looking for chances to take the lead before the half time break but missed several attempts.
When the play resumed, both teams tried their best to aim for the 2-1 lead, but it was Iceland who succeeded in their ambition.
Star forward Sigthorsson scored off a penalty in the 56th minute to add one more to his tally of 22 international goals.
Qatari forward Almoez Ali came close to net an equaliser in the very next minute with an aggressive move at close range from goal, but did not succeed.
But Qatar struck back in the 68th minute when defender Khoukhi stunned the home crowd with a brilliant curling shot from just outside the box to the high centre of the goal to make it 2-2.
