DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Qatar has fired Serbia’s Milovan Rajevac after only four months in charge of the national team, replacing him with Brazilian Sebastiao Lazaroni.
The unexpected move announced late Sunday comes after Qatar was beaten by Vietnam last month in the second leg of its 2014 World Cup qualifier. It still advanced 4-2 on aggregate.
Lazaroni, who previously led local club Qatar SC, is the third coach this year for the Gulf nation, which is under pressure to improve after winning the bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
The 54-year-old Rajevac had a contract through the 2014 World Cup. Rajevac, who coached Ghana until 2010, then Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli, told The Associated Press last month he hoped to make history with Qatar by helping it qualify for the World Cup.
