chances of qualifying for the next round. “We made mistakes in the deep, especially in the goalkeeping department, but still we played well. I hope the result in Lahore will be in our favour,” Asghar told this correspondent from Doha on Friday.
“We conceded a goal in the start, which put pressure on us. Our goalies had not been performing well in practice matches. And again our keeper made mistakes as Yemen struck all their goals through set pieces,” said Asghar, who also serves as assistant coach.
When quizzed why they had sent goalkeeping coach Zahid Taj for a course in Bahrain when Pakistan were going to play a major game in Doha, Asghar said: “Actually, it was the last day of the course and Shamlan said that it would be of no use if Zahid came for a day so he should go to Lahore to join the team ahead of the second leg.”
When PFF’s secretary Col Ahmed Yar Lodhi was contacted, he said Zahid had to join the team before the match in Doha. “I will ask the coach what really the matter was when the team will return. But I think it had been decided that Zahid would join the team before the game in Doha,” Lodhi said.
About the release of the former Fulham defender Zeeshan Rehman by his Malaysian club Pahang FA for the second leg, Lodhi said that personally he would not like to have such a player in the team who had no commitment. “I think he will not come to Lahore,” Lodhi said.
Zesh failed to join the team for the first leg because his club had refused to release him as they had to play an AFC Cup game against Global FC of Philippines in Malaysia on Wednesday.
Zesh had also skipped the second leg of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh at Lahore in 2011 citing security problems.
Pakistan held a practice session in Doha on Friday evening.
They will arrive in Lahore around 8:30am on Saturday (today). Yemen will also land in Lahore on Saturday.