Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Felix Sanchez is expecting captain Abdulkareem Hassan to be fit to face Korea Republic on Tuesday as Qatar set their sights on booking a berth in the final of the AFC U23 Championship as well as securing a place at the finals of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Hassan, the tournament’s joint-top scorer, picked up an injury in the quarter-final win over DPR Korea but should recover to play against the Koreans, but Sanchez will be without the services of Mohammed Muntari, who is suspended after picking up a second yellow card of the tournament in the 2-1 extra-time win.
“Abdulkareem Hassan is going to be ok,” said the Spanish coach (pictured, right). “Muntari is suspended with two yellow cards, he’s an important player for us but we have 22 more and we have the resources to play the match.”
The Qataris are aiming to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time since reaching the quarter-finals in Barcelona in 1992 and a win over the Koreans would not only take Sanchez’s team into the final but would secure one of Asia’s three berths in Brazil.
“We are in the last part of the competition and every game is going to be harder and harder because the opposition is very high quality,” said Sanchez.
“The pressure is the same as in every other game because each game is like a final for us. We are proud to be at this stage of the competition and we will play with all we have inside. More than the pressure, we are proud to be here and we’re going to try to do a last effort in this final stage.
“We are going to face a top team. They showed during the tournament the performance quality of the players and the organisation of the kind of football they are playing. It’s very high quality. We are going to do our best to concentrate to be able to compete tomorrow and to have the opportunity to qualify.”
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Meanwhile, Red Bull Salzburg striker Hwang Hee-chan has been cleared to play for Shin Tae-yong’s (pictured, left) team after undergoing an MRI scan on an ankle injury sustained in the 1-0 win over Jordan in the quarter-finals.
The Koreans are attempting to qualify for an Asian record extending eighth straight Olympic Games and coach Shin is wary of the challenge presented by the host nation.
“We are now facing Qatar, who are the host country and they have shown some very good performances in this competition,” said the AFC Champions League-winning coach.
“Their attack is very good and in all the matches they have been managing the games very well and they will be a very dangerous opponent for us. It will be a good match. I think Qatar is the most impressive team overall.”
Qatar have the most potent attack in the tournament so far, claiming 11 goals in four matches, but Shin believes the team capable of keeping their focus throughout the game will emerge victorious.
“I don’t think it will be the matter who scores the first goal but more about the team that maintains full concentration the longest,” he said. “That will be the key of this game.
“Football is all about winning so I will prepare in that context with the same strategy and set piece plays. I will try to prepare a strategy that will allow us to win the match tomorrow.”
Photo: AFC