QNA
Doha
Ahmed Al Majed, the former goalkeeper of the Qatari football team, feels that the hosts face a tough challenge at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 in defending the title they won in 2019.
Qatar will begin the tournament on Friday meeting Lebanon in Group A opener at the Lusail Stadium on Friday.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Majed said: “Without a doubt, holding the continental championship on World Cup stadiums will give the competitions great value, and the Asian teams will have the opportunity to play on these stadiums that witnessed the Argentine team being crowned the world champion. The Asian Championship remains one of the special tournaments, and obtaining the title gives the winning team great morale.
The former goalkeeper of the Al Arabi team, however added : “Qatar will need to make a strong start against Leabanon and with the aim of defending the title. We hope that the change process that the technical staff has achieved fruition by appointing Spanish coach Marques Lopez to replace Portuguese Carlos Queiroz, and the new coach will try to find a harmonious combination with the aim of achieving satisfactory results.”
While Al Majed refused to talk about expectations, he pointed out that Qatar chances of competing for the title seem very difficult, especially since the teams have changed from the 2019 edition. He pointed out that Japan are the first team to have won the title, in addition to South Korea as well as Australia.
The former Qatari football goalkeeper, who played with the Qatari national team for many years and participated in many Gulf Cup tournaments and regional, Arab and Asian competitions, called for support for the national team in order to provide the desired level and show a satisfactory image.
Al Majed also confirmed that the Qatari team’s goalkeepers are highly qualified, with the presence of Meshaal Barsham, Salah Zakaria, and Saad Al Sheeb, “the best goalkeeper in the 2019 Asian Cup.” “I believe that the technical staff will depend largely on Meshaal Barsham, due to his international experience.
Al Majed - one of the stars of the golden generation of Qatari football - continued: “We can appear in the best way despite the difficulty of the continental mission, and I hope that our national team will succeed in presenting a level worthy of a title-holding team, and I expect the brilliance of striker Akram Afif, who is in top form and especially since he has been the top-scorer in the Expo Stars League, he has great skill and his presence is a great asset for Qatar team.”
Qatar have played 39 matches in the Asian Cup, winning 13 of them, drawing 11 and losing 15 matches, scoring 52 goals and conceding 47 times.
The Qatar national team seeks to enter a historic list in the Asian Cup, as it aspires to become only the fifth team to win the competition title in two consecutive editions.
South Korea previously won the first two editions in 1956 and 1960, while the Iranian national team won the title three times in a row in 1968, 1972 and 1976, the Saudi national team in 1984 and 1988, and the Japanese national team in 2000 and 2004.
