Mongolia have the co-privilege of starting the race to reach the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. The Blue Wolves entertain Brunei Darussalam in the globe’s first qualifier, in one of six first-round ties in the Asian preliminaries, on Thursday.

“I have confidence in Mongolia,” German coach Michael Weiss told FIFA.com. “We have worked hard together for two years. The team has made consistent progress and they are stable. I am confident that we are capable of overcoming our opponents to reach the second round.” The former Philippines coach is fresh from returning with his squad from a ten-day training camp in Thailand.

“We enter qualifying well-prepared,” said the 54-year-old. “We have travelled to China, Japan, South Korea for training camps or friendlies and by doing so, the players have gained necessary international exposure and experience. Of course, we can’t get too carried away.”

Adding to his confidence is the fact that Mongolia have turned the venue into something of a fortress over the past year, beating Macau 4-1 before dismantling Northern Mariana Islands 8-0 in EAFF Championship 2019 qualification.

Since he took over in 2017, Weiss has focused on youth development: “We have concentrated on cultivating young players because I believe that only with youngsters making progress can a team have a bright future.”