Changwon: Qatar kicked off their AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 Qual-ifiers campaign in style blanking hosts South Korea 2-0 in their opening Group B match at Changwon Football Center yesterday. The match saw the visitors stunning the home crowd in the 38th minute when forward Ahmed Al Rawi broke the deadlock to put Qatar 1-0 ahead.
The Young Taeguk Warriors showed determination and grit in the second half but despite chances to get back into the game, just could not find a way past Yousef Abdullah in Qatar’s goal.
Qatar took advantage to add a second via Tameen Mansour Alabdulla in the 68th minute to seal the victory.
Korea Republic will aim to get their first points when they meet Kyrgyz Republic on Saturday while Qatar will look to maintain their winning momentum against Myanmar. Qatar will play their last match of the single round-robin tournament against Kyrgyzstan on September 12.Earlier, it was a belter of an opening match in Group B as Myanmar and Kyrgyz Republic played out an entertaining 1-1 draw to claim their first point in the Qualifiers.
Myanmar, who are aiming to make a return to a Finals they last featured in back in 2013, struck the opening goal through Kaung Htet Paing in the 23rd minute to give Aung Naing’s side the lead at half time.
Kyrgyz Republic came out the better side in the second half and eventually found their equaliser through defender Khristiian Brauzman in the 52nd minute to secure a valuable point.