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Karim Boudiaf started in Qatar’s 2-0 defeat against Ecuador in the opening match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on November 20 in Al Khor. For RFI, the Qatari midfielder born in France evokes this setback which he considers particularly disappointing.
RFI: Karim Boudiaf, in what state is the Qatar team after this 2-0 defeat against Ecuador, in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup?
Karim Boudiaf: It’s very difficult because we lost and above all we didn’t play well. That’s the hardest thing to accept. So, we are really disappointed to have lost this first match. We know that the next two, against Senegal and the Netherlands, will be complicated. But we will try to rectify what we did not do well today, for the next meeting.
To (re) read ► 2022 World Cup: match schedule and results
Was there too much pressure on your team?
Yes, maybe… It’s the first World Cup for Qatar. Maybe the pressure actually played a little. Especially in the first half. This first period was very difficult for us.
The second period was better for Qatar.
Yes, because in the first half, we were too stressed and we couldn’t find ourselves on the field, we missed passes and we lost the ball a lot. But then it was different: we played more liberated.
What could satisfy you, after this first match?
The most important thing is to perform well. Today, we know that we didn’t give everything, even though it’s the World Cup. But I have the impression that Qatar did not play their football. And that is what is unfortunate. The most important thing is to give a good image of the team and of Qatar.
