Ali Jassim scored the valuable winning goal for the Iraqi team via a penalty kick in the 64th minute of the match.

The Vietnam national team completed the match with ten players after defender Nguyen Manh Hung was sent off in the first minute of stoppage time in the second half.

The Iraqi national team qualified to meet in the semi-finals on Monday with the Japanese national team, which defeated host Qatar 4-2 on Thursday after extra time.

In the group stage, the Iraqi national team topped the third group standings with 6 points from three matches, after losing to Thailand 0-2, then beating Tajikistan 4-2 and Saudi Arabia 2-1.

On the other hand, the Vietnamese team ranked second in Group Four with 6 points from three matches, as it won against Kuwait 3-1, Malaysia 2-0, and lost to Uzbekistan 0-3.

Saudi Arabia x Uzbekistan

The Saudi national team did not succeed in getting past Uzbekistan to the semi-finals after the latter defeated the defending champions 2-0 at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, in the quarter-finals of the AFC U-23 Cup Qatar 2023.

Husein Nurchayev (45+2) and substitute Omar Ali Rakhmanullayev (84) scored the winning goals for the Uzbekistan national team.

The Saudi national team completed the match with ten players after striker Ayman Yahya was sent off in the 70th minute as a result of receiving a second warning.

The Uzbek national team qualified to meet in the semi-finals with the Indonesia national team, which defeated the Republic of Korea on penalties on Thursday.

In the group stage, the Uzbekistan national team topped the fourth group standings with 9 points from three matches, as it defeated Malaysia 2-0, Kuwait 5-0, and Vietnam 3-0.

On the other hand, the Saudi team ranked second in Group C with 6 points from three matches, after beating Tajikistan 4-2 and Thailand 5-0, before losing to Iraq 1-2.

Qatar x Japan

The host Qatari national team lost to the Japanese national team, with the latter qualifying for the semi-finals after winning 4-2 after extra time after the end of normal time in a 2-2 draw on Thursday at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, in the quarter-finals of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2023.

In normal time, Fuki Yamada (2) and Seiji Kimura (67) scored Japan’s goals, while Ahmed Al-Rawi (24) and Jassim Jaber (49) scored Qatar’s goals.

Then, in extra time, the Japanese national team was able to score two goals through Mao Hosoya (101) and Kotaro Uchino (112).

The Qatari team completed the match with ten players after goalkeeper Youssef Abdullah was sent off after returning to the video assistant referee technology

In the group stage, the Qatari team topped the first group with 7 points from three matches, winning over Indonesia 2-0, over Jordan 2-1, and tied with Australia 0-0.

On the other hand, the Japanese team took second place in Group Two with 6 points from three matches, after it beat China 1-0, the UAE 2-0, and lost to the Republic of Korea 0-1.

It is noteworthy that the teams that finished in the three places in the tournament qualify to represent the Asian continent in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, while the fourth-place team will move on to compete in the global playoff match against the Guinea national team, representing the African continent.

The spotlight will be on the confrontation that will be held on Friday at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, with other expected confrontations also emerging in the quarter-finals, where the other three teams that previously won the tournament title have qualified.

The quarter-finals begin with host Qatar meeting 2016 champion Japan on Thursday, as the host country seeks to win the title for the first time.

This will be followed by a confrontation between the Republic of Korea, champion of the 2020 edition, and Indonesia, which is participating for the first time, at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium.

On Friday, Uzbekistan will face Saudi Arabia at Khalifa International Stadium, while the fourth quarter-final match will be held on Friday between Iraq, champion of the 2013 edition, and Vietnam, runner-up in 2018, at Al Janoub Stadium.

In addition to the ambition of winning the title, the teams that finish in the first three places qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, while the fourth-place team will move on to face Guinea, the representative of the African continent, in the global playoff match, with the ambition of obtaining a fourth place for the Asian continent in the Paris Olympics.

Thursday

Qatar – Japan

Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium (Doha)

Kick-off: 5:00 pm (GMT +3)

Republic of Korea – Indonesia

Stadium: Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium (Doha)

Kick-off: 8:30 pm (GMT +3)

Friday

Uzbekistan – Saudi Arabia

Stadium: Khalifa International Stadium (Doha)

Kick-off: 5:00 pm (GMT +3)

Iraq – Vietnam

Stadium: Al Janoub Stadium (Al Wakrah)

Kick-off: 8:30 pm (GMT +3

Iraq topped the group standings with 6 points from three matches, with the difference in direct confrontations against Saudi Arabia, compared to 3 points each for Tajikistan and Thailand, as Iraq and Saudi Arabia qualified for the quarter-finals.

The Qatar national team had qualified for the quarter-finals after defeating Jordan 2-1 at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, in the second round of the first group competitions in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.

Al-Anabi tied with Australia 0-0 at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, in the third and final round of Group A competitions in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.

Qatar topped the group standings with 7 points from three matches, compared to 6 points for Indonesia, and a point each for Australia and Jordan, as Qatar and Indonesia obtained tickets to qualify for the quarter-finals.

The UAE bids farewell to the competition

The UAE national team suffered its third loss to China 1-2 on Monday at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, in the third and final round of Group Two competitions in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.

The Republic of Korea topped the group standings with 9 full points from three matches, compared to 6 points for Japan, and 3 for China, while the UAE’s balance remained devoid of points, as the Republic of Korea and Japan obtained the tickets to qualify for the quarter-finals.

It is noteworthy that the teams that finished in the three places in the tournament qualify to represent the Asian continent in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, while the fourth-place team will move on to compete in the global playoff match against the Guinea national team, representing the African continent.

Al Sadd came one step closer to clinching the title after raising its score to 46 points in first place, 5 points behind its closest rivals, two rounds away from the end.

Al Rayyan rose to second place by defeating Qatar 3-0, while Al Duhail beat Muaither 5-2, Umm Salal beat Al Arabi 2-1, and Al Shamal tied with Al Wakrah 0-0. In this round, the teams scored 28 goals in 6 matches.

Results of round 13 matches
– Tuesday
Al Shamal 0 – Al Wakrah 0
Al Markhiya 3 – Al Gharafa 2
– Wednesday
Muaither 2 – Al Duhail 5
Umm Salal 2 – Al Arabi 1
Al-Ahly 1 – Al-Sadd 9
Qatar 0 – Al Rayyan 3

Ranking of the top teams
1- Al-Sadd: 46 points from 20 matches
2- Al-Rayyan: 41
3- Al-Gharafa: 41
4- Al-Wakrah: 38
5- Al Duhail: 28
6- Al-Arabi: 26

The host Qatar team succeeded in defeating Indonesia 2-0 at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, in the first round of Group one competitions in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.

Khaled Ali (45+1 from a penalty kick) and Ahmed Al-Rawi (54) scored the winning goals for the Qatari team.

The Indonesian national team completed the match with nine players after midfielder Ivar Jenner (46 as a result of receiving a second warning) and substitute Ramadan Sananta (90 + 6) were sent off.

Qatar topped the group standings with 3 points from one match, compared to a point each for Jordan and Australia, while Indonesia remained devoid of points.

The second round of group competitions will be held on Thursday, April 18, where Jordan will meet Qatar, and Indonesia will meet Australia.

Thailand x Iraq

The Iraqi national team lost to Thailand 0-2 at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, in the first round of Group three competitions in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.

Waris Chlotthong (26) and Terasak Puipimai (65) scored the winning goals for the Thai national team.

The Iraqi national team completed the match with ten players after striker Nihad Muhammad was sent off in the 71st minute as a result of receiving a second warning.

Saudi Arabia x Tajikistan

The second match in the same group also witnessed the victory of Saudi Arabia, the defending champion, over Tajikistan 4-2 at Khalifa International Stadium.

Rayan Hamed (17), Haitham Asiri (45+8), and Ayman Yahya (55 and 61) scored the goals for Saudi Arabia, while Ruslan Khayloev (23) and Rustam Sairov (64) scored the goals for Tajikistan.

Saudi Arabia topped the group standings with 3 points from one match, with a difference in the number of goals against Thailand, while Tajikistan and Iraq remained devoid of points.

The second round of group competitions will be held on Friday, April 19, where Tajikistan will meet Iraq, and Thailand will meet Saudi Arabia.

South Korea  x UAE

The Republic of Korea national team snatched victory in the last breath when it defeated the UAE 1-0 at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, in the first round of Group Two competitions in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.

The scoreless draw dominated the match until the fourth minute of stoppage time in the second half, when Lee Young-joon scored the winning goal for the Korean team.

Japan and the Republic of Korea topped the group standings with 3 points from one match each, while the UAE and China remained devoid of points.

The second round of group competitions will be held on Friday, April 19, where the UAE will meet Japan, and China will meet the Republic of Korea.

Kuwait x Vietnam

The Kuwaiti national team lost to Vietnam 3-1 at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, in the first round of the fourth group competitions in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.

Nguyen Van Tung (45 + 1) and Bui Vi Hao (47 and 74) scored Vietnam’s goals, while Salman Al-Awadi (45 + 9 from a penalty kick) scored Kuwait’s goal.

The two teams completed the match with ten players after Kuwaiti midfielder Ibrahim Kamil and Vietnam defender Nguyen Ngoc Thang were sent off in the 31st minute (45+4).

Vietnam topped the group standings with 3 points from one match, with a difference in the number of goals against Uzbekistan, while Kuwait and Malaysia remained devoid of points.

The second round of group competitions will be held on Saturday, April 20, where Kuwait will meet Uzbekistan, and Malaysia will meet Vietnam.

It is noteworthy that the teams that finished in the three places in the tournament qualify to represent the Asian continent in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, while the fourth-place team will move on to compete in the global playoff match against the Guinea national team, representing the African continent.

Doha, State of Qatar – The stars of the Qatari Olympic team confirmed their determination to achieve honorable results in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024, and to reserve a ticket to the Summer Olympic Games, the Paris 2024 Olympics, to participate for the first time in 32 years, after it appeared for the last time in the World Sports Forum in the 1992 edition.

After the Qatari team won the 2023 Asian Cup for the second time in its history, and Qatar reached the podium in the Asian Championship Cup twice in a row, the Qatari Olympic team’s star defender, Jassim Jaber, expressed his happiness at recently achieving the continental championship title, and expressed his aspiration to achieve another victory in the continental championship. Which will be hosted by Qatar during the period from April 15 to May 3, and to reserve a place in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

He said in this context: “I feel proud to participate in an achievement that enhances the successful record of the Qatari team, which won the Asian Cup twice in a row. I hope that we will once again reach the podium in this edition of the AFC U-23 Cup and reach the Olympics after our absence from the event.” global for a long time.

Qatar’s hosting of the Under-23 Continental Championship on its soil will contribute to enhancing the performance of the Qatari Olympic team, which will play on its soil and among its fans, which constitutes an incentive for the players to make the maximum effort possible and showcase their football skills on the road to achieving another historic success that will be added to the record of honorable achievements of Qatari football.

In this regard, goalkeeper Youssef Abdullah pointed out that playing in front of the fans constitutes a great support and incentive for ambitious players to reach the 2024 Paris Olympics, and he said: “In my position as goalkeeper, I am well aware of the responsibility placed on my shoulders, but thanks to the support of our fans, who constitute player No. 12, I hope we can achieve success and qualify for the Summer Olympics in Paris this year.”

For his part, Mohammed Ayyash, who plays for Al Rayyan Club in the Qatar Stars League, said that he feels very excited to participate in the tournament, win the title, and for Qatari football to return to the Olympic Games. He added: “It has been a long time since we participated in the Olympic Games. We are determined to achieve something in this tournament. We want to make history again here on Qatar.”

It is noteworthy that the 1992 Summer Olympics, which was held in Barcelona, ​​witnessed the last appearance of the Qatari national team, which included among its ranks at that time brilliant names from the golden generation who were able to achieve great success for Qatari football. At the forefront of the team was the legendary player Mansour Moftah. Thirty-two years later, Tamim, Mansour Muftah’s son, looks forward to following in his father’s footsteps and achieving more honorable successes.

He added: “I aspire to continue my father’s path and achieve victories that inspire pride and honor. We can achieve what we want with the support of our fans and their standing together by our side, and I look forward to participating in qualifying for the Olympic Games.”

The teams that finish in the top three places in the AFC U-23 Cup Qatar 2024 will qualify to participate in the next Summer Olympics, while the team that comes in fourth will face a team from Africa in a decisive playoff for the last card. The sixth edition of the continental under-23 championship will witness sixteen promising age groups competing to win the title of the tournament, which is being held for the first time in stadiums that have witnessed World Cup matches.

The Qatari national team began its campaign in the AFC U-23 Cup Qatar 2024 with a well-deserved victory over Indonesia with two unanswered goals. Al-Anabi is scheduled to meet the Jordanian national team in an anticipated match on April 18, at 6:30 pm at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, before concluding the group stage by facing Australia on April 21, at 6:30 pm in the same stadium.

Tickets are available for purchase through the official Hayya to Qatar mobile application, with prices starting from 15 Qatari riyals for matches in the group stage. Fans coming from outside Qatar can also purchase tickets through the same platform. Specialized tickets are available for people with disabilities. Fans with disabilities and special needs can apply to purchase tickets for this category of fans via: accessibility@hayya.qa.

For more information on the AFC U-23 Cup Qatar 2024, follow @Qatar2023 on Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Al-Duhail played the match, having been crowned champion of the Qatar Stars League last season, while Shabab Al-Ahly entered the confrontation as champion of the UAE League last season, where it won 17 matches, tied in six, while losing three matches in the 26 matches it played.

Brazilian Philippe Coutinho scored Al-Duhail’s goal with a special shot in the 36th minute, while Serbian Luka Milivojevic equalized the score for the host team 10 minutes after the start of the second half, and then Brazilian Igor Jesus scored the winning goal for the Emirati team in extra time, causing Al-Duhail, the team that won the Qatari League title 8 times to fail in winning its first title this season, after results and appearances that did not meet the hopes of its fans in the Qatar Stars League, where it stayed away from the competition in light of its occupying sixth place in the standings with 25 points (seven victories, four draws, and eight defeats).

The first half ended in a goalless draw after a quick start, as the two teams began to search for the goal and reach the net, but most of the balls ended up with the two goalkeepers, before Al-Arabi launched a pressing attack through the trio of Al-Soma, Al-Masakani and Rafael, where some chances appeared that could have been achieved. It put Al-Arabi ahead of Al-Sharjah, but its waste kept the tie intact. Al-Sharjah relied on rebounding balls from the sides, which represented the most dangerous attempt for Jassim Al-Hail, and in general the first half did not live up to what was expected.

The second half was more exciting and truly enjoyable due to the high level, especially after Al-Arabi scored the winning goal through Al-Maskani in the 58th minute after he was alone with the goalkeeper and shot the ball into the net from above him.

After Al-Arabi scored its goal with a quick attack, Sharjah tried to return to the match and initiated the attack. On the other hand, Al-Arabi retreated, preserved its goal, and succeeded its goalkeeper, Jassim Al-Hail, who saved his goal from some dangerous balls.

The two major teams are competing for the title of the first edition of the “Qatari-UAE” Super Shield, as Al-Duhail was crowned champion of the Qatar Stars League last season, and Shabab Al-Ahly won the UAE League Shield.

The Executive Committee organizing the Qatari-Emirati Super Cup announced last January the holding of the first edition of the tournament. The Super Cup match will be held on April 12 in Doha and will bring together Al Arabi, the champions of the His Highness the Emir’s Cup, and the Sharjah team, the champions of the President’s Cup in the Emirates. It will also be held on April 13 in Dubai: The Qatari-Emirati Super Shield match, which will bring together the Shabab Al-Ahly team, champions of the UAE League, and Al-Duhail, champions of the Qatar Stars League.

Each team is seeking to win the title in its first edition, and each of them has the capabilities that give it the advantage, and therefore the match will be strong, and Al-Duhail will try to win the title and compensate for what it lost this season, in which it stayed away from competing for the lead and the league title, and occupies sixth place in the standings with 25 points. This is 3 rounds before the end of the Expo Stars League competitions.

Instead of the previous date in which the tournament was scheduled to be held during the period (13 – 26) of next December.