Qatar appoints new coach in bid to revive 2018 World Cup hopes

DOHA (Reuters) - Qatar has appointed a new coach to head its national football team in a bid to revive fading hopes of qualifying for its first World Cup finals in Russia in 2018.

63-year-old Uruguayan Jorge Fossati will head the national team, according to a tweet shared late on Saturday by the Qatar Football Association.

He replaces Jose Daniel Carreno, who was sacked on Friday after Qatar lost to Iran and Uzbekistan leaving them bottom of a six-team group in the final round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup.

Fossati, who has coached in Saudi Arabia and who managed Qatar between 2007 and 2008, is currently manager of Qatari club Al Rayyan.

It is unclear if he will retain his job at the club.

(Reporting by Tom Finn, editing by Louise Heavens)