Doha: Qatar coach Felix Sanchez (pictured) has his sights firmly set on their AFC U23 Championship opener against China amidst interest in tournament hosts’ title credentials and a squad that could be at their peak when the 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place in six years time.
Sanchez’s side kick-off their continental quest tomorrow when they take on the Chinese at the Abdulah bin Khalifa Stadium before shifting to the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium to face Iran three days later.
The tournament hosts remain at the home of 2011 AFC Champions League winners Al Sadd when they round off their Group A campaign against Syria on January 18.
“It’s a tough tournament and we have to go game by game. We’ll put our objectives game by game,” Sanchez said.
“The first challenge is China on the opening day and we hope to do well against them and the start the tournament strongly.
“It’s a quite tough group. We saw all the teams and they have different styles, with their own strengths, but they all have their weaknesses as well. Hopefully, we are going to perform well against them.”
For some teams having the mantle of tournament hosts can be a double-edged sword, with the possibility of buckling under the pressure of the expectations but for former Barcelona academy coach Sanchez, home field advantage could count in Qatar’s favour.
“We play in our country which should motivate us,” continued the 40-year-old Spaniard, who led Qatar to the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship title.
“We are used to playing in these conditions which are exceptional. The fields are also very good. Hopefully, we will have our supporters helping and pushing us to go through.”
Qatar fans have every reason to be confident of a good showing on home soil given the number of talented players Sanchez has at his disposal including Ahmad Moein and Akram Afif, MVP and Top Scorer respectively at the under 19s in Myanmar, as well the vastly experienced Abdelkarim Hassan, who was part of Al Sadd’s 2011 ACL-winning squad, then aged just 17, and has already amassed over 40 caps for the senior team. But for Sanchez it is about the team rather than the individuals.
“I expect all my 23 players to do their bit and do very well to help and support the team go through to the next round,” he said.
“Qatar is putting in a lot of effort and they are investing a lot in youth development. “The players will learn a lot from these competitions. And hopefully, Qatar will reach a very good level before the World Cup in 2022.”
Meanwhile, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) yesterday continued promoting the high profile event across the country.
The 16-team even will be held from January 12 to 30 at four venues.
The promotional activities include LOC members visiting schools, universities and reaching out to various communities in Qatar.
The official mascot ‘Najim’ also accompanied the LOC delegation.
Taking pictures with ‘Najim’ emerged as the most popular of all activities, LOC officials said.
LOC delegation visited Al Noor Institute for the Blind where once again “Najim” was the centre of attention with those present at the gathering.
LOC members gave details on the event and why teams will be looking to finish among the top three at the three-week event.
Other stopovers include Montazah Independent School for Boys, Qatar University, Sudanese Wisdom International School, the International School of Choueifat. Hosts Qatar are one of 16 teams featuring at the event. The Peninsula
