Doha: Hosts Qatar will be looking for a second successive win and a place in the quarter-finals when they take on fellow opening day winners Iran in the Group A match of the AFC U23 Championship here today.
Coach Felix Sanchez side began their campaign in the championship with a 3-1 win over China and will be looking to maintain the consistent run when they take on the Asian powerhouse at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
China had stunned hosts Qatar on Tuesday’s tournament opener by taking the half-time lead.
But the hosts aided by a brace from captain Abdelkarim and a goal substitute Ahmed Alaa sealed the win and full points.
“We all knew after the first game we would not have qualified or be out, but we were aware we needed three points to have a better chance to go through,” said Qatar coach Sanchez, after the match.
“We did the work and have the three points and now we have a game against Iran which will also be very tough against another team with a new profile and strengths.
“I hope in the second game we are going to grow and do better.”
Iran also made the ideal start to the tournament with a 2-0 win over Syria on Tuesday as striker Arsalan Motahhari opened the scoring before creating the chance for team-mate Mehrdad Mohammadi to seal the three points.
“Arsalan is a great player, he’s a young man who gives his 110% to the team, he always tries his best,” said Iran coach Mohammad Khakpour.
“He had a great performance against Syria and you will hear more about him in the future.
“We are going to have two more tough games, especially against Qatar. But every game for us is a final and we are looking at each game individually.”
Khakpour said his team needs to be wary of Qatar’s threat on the counterattack.
And having seen the AFC U23 Championship hosts come from a goal down to defeat the East Asians, Khakpour has an clearer picture of how he will plan his strategy.
“I saw Qatar so I know how they play and I know they are looking for counter attack,” Khakpour said after a training session yesterday.
“We have to be careful about that and we have to add some speed to our game too.”
The 46-year-old former international was satisfied with his team’s performance in their opening win against Syria 2-0 for a second time in Doha following their win by an identical scoreline in the final of the inaugural WAFF (West Asian Football Federation) U-23 Championship.
“The start was very important, especially when you have young kids playing. They are nervous and they are stressful. You could see in first half both teams were stressed but in the second half we played much better we had control of the game.
“We knew the Syrian team pretty well. We analysed them and knew their key players and I totally believe we controlled the game over the 90 minutes.
“To start with first match with a win was what we were looking for and hopefully the other games are going to be the same result.”
And having made a solid start to the AFC U23 Championship and with the team starting to gel, Khakpour has his sights firmly set on a unique regional and continental double with another trophy win in Qatar.
“I’m happy with all of my players. We work as a team. We win as a team. We lose as a team,” said the former Pas and Persepolis defender, who ended his playing career in the USA with the MetroStars, the forerunner of New York Red Bull.
“We have set our mind in not just being one of those teams looking to qualify for the Olympic Games, we are looking to win the championship.
“Our goal is the championship. We worked so hard to get here and definitely we will work hard to win the tournament.”
Meanwhile, China will be without Xu Xin for today’s meeting with Syria after the midfielder was sent-off in the closing stages of Tuesday’s defeat by Qatar as both sides seek a win to give their hopes of a place in the knockout phase a boost.
“We will look at the video of the Iran and Syria game and we will look at some technical things,” said Fu.
“For the line-up for the next match, we will keep it according to the Iran and Syria match video and adjust it accordingly.
“Now the situation is very hard for us and we have to win our next two games to make it from the group. Our next match is against Syria, and after we both lost our first match, we must try our best.”
Syria coach Muhannad Al Fakeer was left frustrated by his side’s performance in their loss against Iran and he vowed his team will fight until they no longer have a chance to progress.
“We must solve the problems of our team, especially in the defensive line, at full back,” he said.
“But I think we have something to do. We will never give up.
“We have to look forward. We have two matches left against China and Qatar and we have to do something in these games. But the conditions and the situation are not in our hands.”
