Hosts Qatar handed tough group at AFC U 23 draw

9/12/2015 10:53:41 PM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula)AFC Vice-President Saoud Al Mohannadi (right) and AFC’s Acting General Secretary Windsor John unveil the new trophy of the AFC U-23 Championship yesterday prior to the draw for the tournament to be played next year in January in Doha. PICTURE: BAHER AMIN

Doha: Hosts Qatar found themselves alongside continental giants Iran China and regional challengers Syria in a tough Group A when the draw for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship was made at a grand ceremony in Doha yesterday.

The tournament which will feature 16 top teams of the continent will be played next year from January 12 to 30.

The competition holds utmost importance as it will serve as the qualifying event for next year’s Olympics with top three teams getting the Rio de Janeiro ticket.

Qatar’s coach Felix Sanchez said his team will have to work hard to achieve desirable results.

“ It’s the finals and all the teams will be very strong” the Spaniard told reporters following the draw ceremony.

The Qatar U-23 team recently returned from grueling training camps in Austria and Zurich but Sanchez felt the team need more preparations for the tough event.

“We will look to get good games before January. We are working with the players with the target in sights.”

The coach hoped that playing at home will give players extra energy.

“Playing in front of the home crowd with fans supporting the team will be an extra motivation for the players.”

The tournament will be played at the Al Sadd Al Arabi Qatar Sports Club and Lekhwiya Stadiums.

Vice-President of Qatar Football Association Saoud Al Mohannadi was confident that the event would be a huge success.

“ AFC is proud to hold an event in Qatar” said Al Mohannadi who is also the vice-president of AFC.

“ Qatar has a long tradition of football and has hosted many major tournaments in a befitting manner.”

AFC Acting General Secretary Windsor John conducted the draw assisted by former Qatar internationals Khaled Salman and Badr Bilal and attended by a host of dignitaries from the Asian football family.

Defending champions Iraq have been bracketed among Yemen London Olympics bronze medalists Korea Republic and a highly rated Uzbekistan side in a tough looking Group C.

Nine-time Olympic qualifiers and fourth-place finishers at the London Games Japan are pooled along with Saudi Arabia DPR Korea and Thailand in Group B while 1988 quarter-finalists Australia the United Arab Emirates Jordan and Vietnam make up Group D.

Prior to the draw AFC Vice President Al Mohannadi and Windsor jointly unveiled the new trophy of the tournament while the AFC U-23 Championship’s new logo was also revealed. The logo’s fantastic design represents the AFC’s five regions with a star in the middle symbolising the promising talent that will be on display at the tournament. A short video depicting the host nation’s history and diversity was also shown at the event.

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