Portugal coach optimistic about Play Off: We'll be in Qatar

Portugal's coach, Fernando Santos, insists his team will qualify at the World Cup, despite having suffered the latest defeat to Serbia that pushed them to APUlay-off.

Aleksandar Mitrovic's headshot in the 90th minute secured a 2-1 big victory for Serbia in Lisbon, which meant they ended up at the helm of Group A and automatically qualified for Qatar 2022.

Santos acknowledged that his team fought to walk and played “of fear and anxiety”, though he took full responsibility for the loss.

European champions 2016 needed only one draw to secure a seat in Qatar, and they seemed well placed when Renato Sanches put them ahead in just two minutes.

Ajax's Playmaker, Dusan Tadic, equalled before the first part and so went on until the closing stages, when the deputy Mitrovic met Tadic's Croatia and hit a head-to-head blow in the corner.

The goal sparked scenes of joy among Serbia's players and staff, with replacements running in the field to celebrate with the rest of the team.

Those scenes stood in stark contrast to Portugal's players, who looked destroyed after their place in the World Cup was seized in recent seconds.

Reflecting on the loss, Santos said: “looked like it would, but it wasn't. We scored the goal, we had our initial moments. But then we started falling deep.

“Players tried. But then we didn't start the game. Every time we did, we created problems. But most of the time we couldn't.

Serbia was better. We tried. Our DNA is to have the ball standing and play. Bernardo Silva loved the ball, but he was the only one. We played with fear and anxiety. It's my responsibility. ”

When asked about the prospect of '%play-off, Santos added: “We will be in Qatar. We know we didn't do the right thing, but we'll be there.

“We've always played to win and thought for the moment offensive. But it doesn't always work out the way we want it to. And this is my responsibility”.

Shocking loss means Portugal must now wait until March to discover its destiny at the World Cup.

They will join the group's nine other vice champions along with two of the highest-ranking teams in the League of Nations that have not already qualified for the World Cup.

The 12 teams will then be dragged into three réplay-off paths for semifinals and a final, with three street winners qualifying for the World Cup. /Periscopi/