Qatar's Homam Ahmed (right) celebrates with team-mates after scoring a goal against Luxembourg in their European Qualifying match played at Stade de Luxembourg, yesterday.
Doha: Homam Ahmed cancelled out an early goal scored by Luxembourg teenage debutant Yvandro Borges Sanches as Qatar signed off from the second stage of the European World Cup Qualifiers with a one-all draw yesterday.
The draw means Felix Sanchez-coached Asian champions now have a record of two wins, two draws and two losses after playing six matches in Europe this year.
In the European Qualifiers, Qatar had beaten Luxembourg in their ‘home’ match at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary, earlier in March before overcoming Azerbaijan 2-1 and drawing 1-1 against Ireland.
However, in the second leg of the qualifiers, the luck was not on Qatar’s side as they lost to Serbia 0-4 and former European champions Portugal 3-1.
Following two defeats inside a week, Qatar team took a stronger approach to yesterday's match, looking to get back to winning ways before completing the trip to Europe.
They almost scored through skipper Hassan Al Haydos who received a clever pass from Akram Afif in the 10th minute, but the attempt was blocked.
Thereafter, the hosts tried to open scoring on several occasions, with Mica Pinto, Olivier Thill, Maurice Deville and Laurent Jans all looking to beat the Qatari custodian Yousef Hassan, but failed to beat the Al Gharafa player.
However, the 17-year-old Sanches succeeded in the 31st minute.
At the newly built Stade de Luxembourg, playing in his first match for the country, the Borussia Mönchengladbach U-19 player shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal after receiving the ball from Edvin Muratovic.
However, Qatar did not let Luxembourg go into the half time break with a 1-0 advantage.
Homam struck in the 43rd minute. He shot from a difficult angle on the left to the centre of the goal following an assist by Bassam Al Rawi as Sanchez' men levelled the scores.
The second half saw both teams trying to grab the lead, but none succeeded.
Afif and Ali Asad shot at the goal in the 88th and 90th minutes, but Qatar had to settle for the draw at the end.
Qatar are ranked 42 in the world, whereas Luxembourg – coached by Luc Holtz – are ranked 96th.
Al Annabi players will now return to Doha where they will join their respective clubs ahead of the kick off of the new Qatar Stars League (QSL) season.
Earlier, in Baku, Portugal cruised to a 3-0 victory over hosts Azerbaijan in World Cup qualifying to move top of Group A.
Portugal were without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was suspended after picking up a yellow card while celebrating his second goal in their last-gasp 2-1 victory over Ireland last week, but his absence was not felt as first-half strikes from Bernardo Silva and Andre Silva plus a Diogo Jota header secured victory.
The victory takes Fernando Santos’ side to the top of Group A with 13 points - three ahead of their qualification rivals Serbia.
