BAD NAUHEIM, Germany, 8 June 2006 — Coach Marcos Paqueta says Saudi Arabia’s opening Group H match against Tunisia is likely to decide their World Cup fate.
The Green Falcons know a victory against the North Africans would give them an excellent chance of qualifying for the second round for the first time since 1994.
Defeat would leave them facing a first-round exit for the third successive World Cup. “It’s against the only other Arabic team, it’s going to be an Arab derby, a fight of a game, it’s the key for us,” Brazilian coach Paqueta told reporters yesterday.
“We will try to win it. You have one chance and you have to take it. If we win there will be more pressure on Spain and Ukraine, especially if one of them loses their first match.” Paqueta believes his team require five points to progress.
“I have a lot of respect for the Tunisian team, they have more than nine players playing outside (Tunisia),” he said.
“Most of our focus has been on that game, although of course we are planning for the other two matches. I think we need five points to get to the second round.”
Saudi Arabia start their campaign next Wednesday, giving Paqueta ample time to prepare.
With much of the physical work now done, the Brazilian said he was concentrating on the mental side of the game, even showing his players a sports psychology video used by NFL coaches in the United States.
“The top players in the world have mental control,” he said. “Taking care of the final pass, not rushing when there is a chance to shoot. “I’ve been doing some drills with the players and sometimes I say to a player ‘why did you do that?’, and they answer ‘I don’t know’.” Together since mid-April, tough-tackling midfielder Saud Al-Kariri said the squad got the chance to unwind on Monday with a night of traditional Arabic dancing that went into the small hours. “It’s a long time since we had the chance to do that, it helped to relax the players,” he said.
