Qatar fall to Russia in final test ahead of crucial World Cup 2026 qualifiers

Doha: Qatar suffered a heavy 4 1 defeat to Russia at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Sunday in their final international friendly before next month s...

Doha: Qatar suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Russia at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Sunday in their final international friendly before next month’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian play-offs.

The result will be a concern for head coach Julen Lopetegui, who experimented with line-ups and combinations in the absence of several senior players including Almoez Ali, Hassan Al Haydos, and Ismael Mohammed – all sidelined due to injury. The loss follows last week’s 2-2 draw against Bahrain, completing a disappointing pair of warm-up matches.

Despite the experimental approach, Lopetegui would have expected stronger performances with critical games against Oman (October 8) and the UAE (October 14) looming. Qatar must top the group to seal their spot in the next year’s World Cup. 

Qatari defender Tarek Salman acknowledged the need for improvement, admitting that the team must take lessons from their recent performances.

“The coach is discovering new players and trying to find the right combination. Of course, there are mistakes,” said Salman after the match.