Qatar players relish U-23 Asian Cup berth

Doha, Qatar: Qatar players attributed their success to the team s unwavering fighting spirit after they secured a spot in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi...

Doha, Qatar: Qatar players attributed their success to the team’s unwavering fighting spirit after they secured a spot in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 following a dramatic 2-1 win over Bahrain on Tuesday.

The last-gasp win, sealed with a penalty in the ninth minute of added time, capped a dominant qualifying campaign in which they won all three matches to storm into the continental tournament which will be held from January 7-25 next year.

Bahrain were leading after Abdulrahman Sami Al Khayyat’s 71st-minute strike, but Qatar struck twice through Al Hashmi Al Hussain and Jassim Al Sharshani in stoppage time despite being reduced to 10 men following a red card to Ayoub Mohamed Al Ouwi to secure the dramatic comeback win at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium. 

Qatar striker Mubarak Shanan highlighted that the match tested fighting abilities of both teams until the final minutes.

“It was difficult to face the strong Bahrain team, but we were able to defeat them and qualify for the Asian Cup,” Shanan said after the win.