Hosts Qatar gear up for Tajikistan clash

Doha, Qatar: The Qatari national football team continue its preparations to face Tajikistan on January 17 at Al Bayt Stadium in the second round of Group A matches in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023.

Qatar lead Group A with three points after defeating Lebanon in the opening match 3-0, putting them ahead by two points over Tajikistan and China, while the Lebanese team places last without points.

Led by Spanish coach, Bartolome Marquez Lopez, the team have been training in Aspire Academy.

Lopez focused on strengthening the tactical aspects as well as studying the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent.

The 2019 Asian Cup champions will hold their final training on Tuesday, where Lopez will determine the lineup that will play against Tajikistan.

Bassam Al Rawi, defender in the Qatari team, affirmed that after the impressive win over Lebanon, the team is prepared for the upcoming match.

Al Rawi stated to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that they are aware of the difficulty of the match, but they still aim to win. He promises the fans a strong performance that will please them.

Jassim Jaber, defender in the Qatari team, expressed his hope that the team will keep its momentum in the tournament and achieve a second win against Tajikistan.

He said that the vibes of the tournament are exceptional and are the dreams of any player.

All the players aim to continue increasing efforts to make the fans happy as well as secure a spot in the next stage of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, he added.

After the eighth consecutive win for Qatar in the Asian Cup, the defending champions are close to achieving the longest series of victories, which first began when it defeated Lebanon back in 2019 in the first round of the group stage.

The Iranian team is the only team that surpasses the Qatari team in the number of consecutive wins in the tournament. Iran achieved thirteen consecutive victories between May 10, 1968, and June 13, 1976.