Soccer: Qatar confident but cautious before Iraq 'final'

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - South Korea v Bahrain - Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 South Korea's Kim Jin-Su celebrates scoring their second goal with team mates REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Qatar were the surprise package in the group stage of the Asian Cup but coach Felix Sanchez has been drilling it into his players that their early form will count for nothing in their first knockout clash against Iraq on Tuesday.

With their hosting of the World Cup only three years away, the Qataris were desperate for a good showing in the United Arab Emirates to indicate they are on the right path for 2022.

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq's Safaa Hadi in action with Qatar's Hassan Abdelkarim REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Sanchez's side delivered in the opening round, scoring 10 goals and conceding none in victories over three-times champions Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and North Korea.

The Spaniard is convinced that taking on Iraq, who made a fairytale run to the title in 2007, in a winner-takes-all last-16 encounter with a quarter-final against South Korea or Bahrain on the line will be an altogether tougher proposition.

"What we achieved in the group stage is a good result, but it doesn't count for anything," he told reporters on Monday.

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Qatar's Bassam Al Rawi reacts during the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

"This is one match and we will play Iraq, which is a wonderful team with talented players and they showed that in the group stage.

"Of course, after the matches we had the players are confident, which is good, but we know the reality. We have to play a really, really good game if we want to play in the next round.

"It's like a final for us and we are going to do our best."

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq's Humam Tariq is stretchered off after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

While Sanchez has been working in the Qatari national set-up at various levels since 2013, Iraq coach Srecko Katanic has had less than five months to get to know his players.

The Iraqis progressed to the knockout stage for the seventh straight Asian Cup after wins over Vietnam and as well as a draw with neighbours Iran.

Slovenian Katanic said he was confident his players would do their best but was already heartily sick of comparisons to the 2007 champions.

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq players line up before the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

"From 2007 to now has been 12 years, it's a whole new generation of players, how can you compare that with the previous generations?

"That can only put pressure on the players. My message to the players has always been, firstly, to fight, second to play football and then we will see what happens next.

"There is no pressure from me on the players to win. They just to have to do their jobs."

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq coach Srecko Katanec before the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

(Writing by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Ian Chadband)

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq's Jalal Hassan Hachim in action with Qatar's Almoez Ali REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq coach Srecko Katanec gestures during the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq's Safaa Hadi in action with Qatar's Hassan Abdelkarim REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq's Safaa Hadi in action with Qatar's Ahmed Al Aaeldin REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 A Qatar fan before the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq fans before the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq fan before the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Qatar v Iraq - Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 22, 2019 Iraq fan waves a flag before the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Group E - Saudi Arabia v Qatar - Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - January 17, 2019 Qatar coach Felix Sanchez Bas gestures during the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem