Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Host nation Qatar are fully focused on grabbing a slice of continental glory at the upcoming AFC U23 Championship, and with it a place at this year’s Olympic Games in Brazil.
The top-three finishers in the tournament, to be played from January 12 to 30, will book a berth at the Rio Summer Games.
AFC U23 Championship. The Contenders: Qatar
With the eagerly anticipated U23 event – and a potential trip to South America – in mind, Qatar replaced coach Fahad Thani with Felix Sanchez last year. The Spaniard, who guided the nation’s U-19 team to the AFC Championship title in Myanmar in 2014, has subsequently brought talented players such as Akram Afif and 2014 AFC Young Player of the Year Ahmad Moein from that group in a bid to rebuild the Olympic team.
In another sign of Qatar’s U23 intent, Sanchez also named proven Qatar internationals Ahmed Yasser, Ali Asad, Abdelkarim Hassan and Mohammed Muntari in his 23-man squad.
Qatar National Teams Management Executive Director Mansoor Al Ansari underlined the priority was to do well at the competition.
“We’re always focused on the task on hand. Of course, a few of the players might go on to make it to the World Cup team in ’22, but it is six years away. We’re thinking more about doing well in the Asian competition and booking a berth at the Rio Olympics,” said Al Ansari, who is also the CEO of the Qatar Local Organising Committee of the tournament.
The Qatar Football Association also supported the team by making it mandatory for the 14 participating Qatar Stars League clubs to have an U23 player in their playing eleven throughout this season. Sanchez’s charges have also held several training camps both at home and abroad in an effort to fine tune preparations.
For the U23 Championship, Qatar are drawn in Group A, alongside Syria, Iran and China, who are their opponents on January 12.
AFC U23 CHAMPIONSHIP QATAR 2016 GROUPS & FIXTURES
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)