Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
With the AFC U23 Championship edging ever closer, join the-afc.com as we conclude our look at the teams who will be vying for honours in Qatar, at a tournament that also doubles as the qualifiers for the men’s football tournament at the 2016 Olympic Games.
QATAR
As the organisational acumen of Qatar is on show once again following a stellar hosting of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, the AFC U23 Championship hosts will be hoping another successful running of a major tournament is mirrored by the performance of the home team on the pitch.
And Qatar fans have every reason to be confident of a strong showing on home soil with a side that could not only feature a number of players who already have experience with the senior national team that recently qualified for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, but also see the step up of some young stars who were part of the team that won the AFC U-19 Championship in 2014.
Among those in the squad are Ahmed Moein, MVP as the Qataris claimed their first youth title since winning the 1990 AFC U-16 Championship, and Akram Afif, scorer of four goals at the under 19s in Myanmar, including the winner against DPR Korea in the final.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s defence will be well-marshalled by the vastly experienced Abdelkarim Hassan, who was part of Al Sadd’s 2011 AFC Champions League-winning squad, then aged just 17, and has already amassed over 40 caps for the senior team.
Qatar**’s Group A Fixtures**
January 12: Qatar v China (Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha)
January 15: Qatar v Iran (Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha)
January 18: Qatar v Syria (Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha)