Yangon: A brace from Ahmed Al Sadi saw Qatar sail through to the AFC U-19 Championship quarter-finals as the winners of Group D with a 2-0 win over Oman at Thuwunna Youth Training Centre Stadium yesterday as 2012 finalists Iraq crashed out in Nay Pyi Taw, losing 2-1 to DPR Korea.
Having scored the equaliser against Iraq in their 1-1 draw on Match day Two, Al Sadi was once more the catalyst for Qatar’s fine display, and after winning and converting a penalty to give his side the lead two minutes shy of the hour-mark, he was on target again less than 10 minutes later for his tournament-leading fourth goal of the competition.
The result means Qatar will now face Group C runners-up China on Friday to compete for a place in the semi-finals, while DPR Korea will face Group C winners and East Asian rivals Japan.
“Obviously it was a final for all four teams today, with us all having a chance to qualify and my players looked a little nervous at the beginning,” said Qatar coach Felix Sanchez.
“In the second half we played well, especially at the start of the 45, and we did what we needed to do.
“The weather here was a bit hotter and our legs aren’t as fresh as they were at the start of the tournament, but my players responded well and made a great effort.”
Playing their third game in five days, both teams looked to conserve their first half energy on a hot and humid afternoon in Yangon.
Qatar had the half’s first opportunity in the 20th minute, when Almoez Ali ran down the left, reached the box and unleashed a powerful shot for Oman goalkeeper Alaa Al Shiyadi to make a strong save.
The second chance came on the half hour as on the run Fahad Al Abdulrahman threaded the ball through three Oman defenders and found Ali, who slid his shot wide of the left upright.
Oman’s only chance of the half came one minute from the interval when Hatem Al Rushadi put the ball well wide of the far post despite finding himself with time and space in the box.
But the second period did bring forth the game’s goals, though, as Qatar pushed to ensure qualification as group leaders.
And it was on the 58th minute that they broke the deadlock, as Al Sadi ran through a number of defenders only to be brought down in the box by Maadh Al Khaldi.
Al Sadi dusted himself off before stepping up the mark and, seeing the keeper move early to his right, placed the ball casually to Al Shiyadi’s left.
The midfielder’s second came just six minutes later as an Abdullah Al Ahrak corner found Al Sadi arriving beyond the far post to head the ball into the net for goal.
Oman found it difficult to find a way back into the game from there, the only real opportunity falling to Al Khaldi, who in a crowded box, failed with his attempted bicycle kick from a corner, with the defeat confirming their elimination from the tournament and Qatar’s advance.
“It has been a long time since we have been to these finals and today we entered our last group game with a chance of qualification for the quarter-finals,” said Oman coach Rasheed Al Yafai.
“But the team had a momentary lack of concentration that led to the penalty and after the second goal the game was finished because it was always going to be difficult to comeback,” said the coach. “We fought hard but Qatar are one of better prepared teams at the event, they are very well organised and that shows in their style of play,” Al Yafai added.THE PENINSULA
