Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar will being their campaign in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2025 Qualifiers on Wednesday when they take on Mongolia in their opening Group F match at the Aspire Academy Pitch 7.
As many as 43 teams divided into 10 groups – seven groups of four teams and three groups of five – are featuring in the Qualifiers, targeting berths in the finals scheduled to take place from April 3 to 20, 2025 in Saudi Arabia.
The top team from each group, along with the five best runners-up, will advance to the tournament.
Al Annabi will also face defending champions Japan and Nepal in Group F.
Qatar U-17 coach Ahmed Madouni said the team is focused on the opening match, aiming to start the mission on a winning note.
"Our preparations have been good for the competition. We respect all the teams in the group and we will do our best to secure victory against Mongolia,” Madouni said yesterday.
Qatar will play their second match against Nepal on Friday before meeting Japan on Sunday in their last match.
"All the teams in this group are tough but we are confident of getting the desired results and securing a berth in the finals,” said the Qatar coach.
Also today, Japan will take on Nepal in other match of the group at Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s 23-player roster features talent drawn from several top domestic clubs, including Al Duhail, Al Sadd, Al Arabi, Al Gharafa, Qatar SC, Al Rayyan, Umm Salal, Al Ahli, and Al Markhiya.
Qatar U-17 squad: Adam Riyad, Saud Khamis, Mohammed Akram, Muhannad Jameel, Malik Majed, and Yazan Hani (all Al Duhail), Sheikh Ndaw, Sultan Majed, Omar Abdulaziz, Faisal Saeed, Karam Hadi, Mohammed Jihad, Ward Osama, and Tamim Al Qadi (all Al Sadd), Ahmed Saber (Al Arabi), Emmanuel Francis and Zaid Faisal (Al Gharafa), Saif El-Din Ahmed (Qatar SC), Abdulrahman Khaled and Bakri Mohammed (Al Rayyan), Salman Anwar (Umm Salal), Abdul Aziz Younes (Al Ahli), and Youssef Salman (Al Markhiya).