Barbarez says Bosnia will push for victory as both teams fight to keep knockout hopes alive in Seattle
SEATTLE: Bosnia and Herzegovina will adopt an attacking approach against Qatar in Wednesday’s must-win World Cup clash, with head coach Sergej Barbarez insisting his side will not spend the game sitting back as they battle to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Bosnia head into the Group B contest under pressure after opening their campaign with a draw against co-hosts Canada before suffering a disappointing defeat to Switzerland. With both Bosnia and Qatar still chasing a place in the knockout stage, Barbarez acknowledged the importance of the contest and predicted an open, competitive encounter.
“For us, it’s never the goal to defend for 90 minutes,” Barbarez told reporters on Tuesday. “There are phases in every match when you allow the opponent some space, but this will not be a game of long balls and pure defending. It will be two teams fighting to win.”
Bosnia seek positive response after setback against Switzerland
A draw would leave both teams on two points, a tally unlikely to be enough to progress as one of the best third-placed sides. As a result, Bosnia know only victory will realistically keep their hopes of reaching the last 32 alive.
Barbarez said his team had no intention of changing its identity despite the pressure of the occasion. He stressed that Bosnia would try to control the game with an offensive mindset rather than play cautiously.
The European side are appearing at only their second World Cup, having exited at the group stage in 2014, and a win over Qatar could potentially set up a last-32 meeting with co-hosts the United States.
Coach warns against underestimating Qatar despite Bosnia’s favourite tag
Although Bosnia are widely seen as favourites, Barbarez warned his players not to underestimate Qatar, pointing to the Gulf side’s higher FIFA ranking and ability to cause problems.
“Whether we are favourites or not will not change our approach,” he said. “Looking at the FIFA rankings, Qatar should be the favourite. They are ranked above us, so we have to respect that.”
Bosnia are expected to enjoy strong support in Seattle, where large numbers of their fans have been visible throughout the week. However, Qatar are also set to be backed by a sizeable contingent, adding to the atmosphere for a match both teams simply have to win.
