Expat Aussies were out in force but were left disappointed as the Socceroos fell 1-0 for the first time to the Gulf nation.
The loss follows a drab 0-0 draw against UAE on Friday.
Australia dominated play but again were unable to capitalise where it mattered on the scoreboard.
Star striker Tim Cahill starting on the bench may have been an excuse last week but he was in the 11 this time.
It took a sloppy bit of defending before Qatar’s Doha-born captain Khalfan Ibrahim to pounce.
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou accepted blame for the loss as he keeps experimenting with line-ups, even with a friendly against Japan all that awaits before his side host Asia.
“I keep saying I’m making these decisions and I’m making them for a reason and that’s probably costing us in terms of performance and in terms of fluency,” Postecoglou said.
“But it is what it is and I take responsibility because I’m making these decisions.”
Postecoglou wasn’t so relaxed during a second-half drinks break when he tore his side a new one – to which, to their credit, the payers responded to.
The fact that a drinks break was required during not even the hottest months of the year is a bad sign for 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar as they try to convince the world it’s actually safe to play there.
Cahill wasn’t too bothered by the result.
“It’s a little bit of a setback but for me it’s all about education and I think tonight we definitely learned a lesson,” Cahill said.
Image via Getty
