Doha, Qatar: Goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb (pictured) is confident Qatar can go the distance against Uzbekistan in their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 quarter-final today. Qatar have only conceded once, in their 2-1 win over Palestine in the Round of 16 tie, and Al Sheeb - who played an instrumental role in their 2019 title triumph - believes they can lift the coveted trophy again.
“I believe our game will be challenging, but we are determined to win and qualify for the next stage. I have played against some of the Uzbekistan players in the AFC Champions League (against FC Nasaf), so I’m familiar with their skills and what they are capable of,” said the 33-year-old Al Sadd shot stopper.
“We have prepared very well, and I’m confident in the quality that we will bring into the match. The players are ready and we are confident of producing a good performance against Uzbekistan.
“As much as we want to win all the games, we are taking each match at a time, and our team is in good condition. I believe it is going to be a wonderful match.”
Despite having limited game time – a 45-minute spell in Qatar’s 1-0 win over China on Matchday Three - Al Sheeb firmly believes the bond in the squad is the same as when they won their maiden title in 2019.
“I’ve been with the team for such a long time (since 2009), and we thrive in a positive atmosphere. Our training camp and relationships go beyond just being colleagues; we are like brothers,” said Al Sheeb, who won the AFC Asian Cup Golden Glove in 2019.
“We let our hair down after each win. But when it’s time for the next match, we prepare well and we are very focused on achieving our goals.”
