Team Qatar is ready for North Korean Challenge in AFC Asian Qualifiers

Vientiane, Laos - After a shock home defeat to the United Arab Emirates last Thursday, Qatar is determined to bounce back as they face North Korea in the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 Group A match. The game will take place at the Lao National Stadium in Vientiane, Laos, at 3 pm Doha time on Tuesday. Despite the setback against UAE, Qatar's head coach, Marquez Lopez, remains optimistic. "We still have chances in the group, with nine matches left in the qualifiers. Everything can change in terms of calculations and our chances to qualify," Lopez said. "We aim to recover from this result and get back on track, starting with the next match against North Korea. I’m confident we can bounce back," he added after the UAE match. During Monday's session in Vientiane, Lopez acknowledged the mistakes made against UAE, citing missed opportunities despite dominating possession and control. "Mistakes are part of football, but we’re focused on correcting them and performing well against a formidable North Korean team," he stated. Lopez emphasized that the team has learned from the loss and is now focused on facing North Korea. "I watched their last match against Uzbekistan, and despite the loss, they performed well. We need to be vigilant," he warned. North Korea has won four of their previous 12 encounters with Qatar, but they suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat in their most recent meeting during the group stage of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. In other Group A matches on Tuesday, UAE will take on Iran in Al Ain, while Kyrgyzstan will face Uzbekistan in Bishkek. UAE currently tops the group with 3 points from one match, ahead of Iran and Uzbekistan on goal difference, while Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, and North Korea are yet to earn points  

Qatar held to draw as 10-man North Korea stage comeback

Vientiane (Laos) - Asian champions Qatar on Tuesday settled for a fighting 2-2 draw against North Korea in torrential rain that left puddles of water on the New Laos Football Stadium in the second half. Strikers Akram Afif (31th minute, penalty) and Almoez Ali (44) scored the two goals for Qatar in what was the second 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match for coach Marquez Lopez’s side inside five days. Last Thursday, Qatar were beaten 3-1 by a resolute UAE side at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. Tuesday’s 2-2 draw saw the two Group A teams look sluggish in the second half when the heavens opened up in Vientiane. Following a cagey start, North Korea’s Ri Il-song opened the scoring with a spectacular long-range shot that beat Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham in the 19th minute. With Qatar leading at half time, North Korea drew level when Kang Kuk-chol scored in the 51st minute with a similar breathtaking shot. Qatar coach Lopez said his side dominated proceedings in the Group A clash at New Laos Football Stadium where an uneven, bumpy pitch greeted the teams. “We started the match with the goal of winning and that showed in our attacking formation. Our performance throughout the match showed we wanted to win with an attacking game,” Lopez said after the match on Tuesday. “We controlled the match and dominated its course. We were close to collecting the three points, but the circumstances changed after the first half due to the heavy rains. The draw comes with the taste of a loss,” he added. After conceding an early goal, Qatar got the equaliser through a well-taken spot kick by Afif who was brought down in the Qatar box by Kuk-chol following a short pass by Almoez a few yards away. Afif chose to target the right of goalkeeper Kang Ju-hyok for Qatar’s opening goal in the 31st minute. Close to the first half whistle, Almoez found the net for the Asian champions.  Almoez fired a spectacular shot with a right-footed drive from outside the box to hit the back of the net. Six minutes into the second half, North Korea produced the equaliser with a Kuk-chol free-kick in pouring rain. Afif and Lucas Mendes nearly put Qatar ahead late in the second half but on each occasion the North Korean goalkeeper was alert. “The match was difficult but we were better for most of the match. After the expulsion of the North Korean player, we made attacking changes in order to score and advance, which is what actually happened and we dominated in the first half,” Lopez said. “But the match changed in the second half, and the Korean team equalised from a set piece. I have to say the pitch, with the heavy rain pouring down, did not allow us to move quickly and pass the ball comfortably, especially with the defensive formation of the North Korean team, so we were unable to score. “We have one point from two matches, but we still have eight matches ahead of us, in which we will do our best to get the wins and collect points,” he added. Qatar and North Korea play the return Group A match in Doha next March.  

Qatar reaches Arab Beach Volleyball Championship Semifinals

TUNISIA - Qatar's duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, secured their place in the semifinals of the 2024 Arab Beach Volleyball Championship after an impressive victory over Oman’s pair on Sunday. The Qatari team produced  a dominant performance, defeating Oman with a score of 21-12, 21-14, to advance to the final four. This year's tournament features 15 teams from 8 Arab countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Lebanon, and Morocco.  

Impressive ceremony marks Paris Paralympics closing

PARIS - The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games concluded with an impressive ceremony at Stade de France on Sunday.  Qatar’s athletes Sara Masoud and Ali Arshad carried the national flag during the closing ceremony. Sara took part in the women’s shot put event while Ali competed in the men’s 100m and 800m T34 contests.  Qatar’s Head of Delegation Dr. Hassan Al Ansari hailed the two athletes for their hard work while praising the dazzling ceremony to mark an end to spectacular Games.  Meanwhile, Paris 2024 organiser Tony Estanguet said it had been a “historic summer” during his speech at the Paralympics’ closing ceremony.  

Kuwait edges out Qatar in Asian Men's Youth Handball Championship

AMMAN - The Qatari junior handball team suffered a 28-32 defeat against Kuwait in their second match of the main round at the 10th Asian Men's Youth Handball Championship, currently taking place in Jordan. The tournament, which runs until September 14, serves as a qualifier for the 2025 World Championship in Slovenia. This marks Qatar's second consecutive loss in the main round, following a 20-39 defeat against Japan in their opening match. The Qatari team advanced to the main round after finishing second in Group 3 during the preliminary stage, where they secured a 31-21 victory over the UAE but lost 26-43 to Saudi Arabia. The top five teams in this Asian Championship will earn a spot in the 2025 World Championship in Slovenia. Qatar's junior handball team has a strong history in this competition, having won the Asian Championship title twice, in 2010 in Abu Dhabi and 2012 in Manama. They have also finished as runners-up three times: in 2006 in Tehran, 2008 in Amman, and 2014, also in Amman.  

Cherif and Tijan Secure Third Place at Arab Beach Volleyball Championship

Hammamet, Tunisia - Qatar's beach volleyball team, featuring Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, claimed third place at the 29th Arab Beach Volleyball Championship by defeating Saudi Arabia in straight sets (21-11, 21-11). The match took place in the Tunisian city of Hammamet. The duo reached the third-place match after a close semi-final loss to Oman (1-2). The championship, hosted by Tunisia, saw the participation of 15 teams from eight Arab countries, including Tunisia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Lebanon, and Morocco. Qatar entered the tournament with two teams. The first team included Younousse and Tijan, while the second team consisted of Tariq Abdel Hafez and Nour Othman. Unfortunately, the second team was eliminated during the group stage after losses to Tunisian and Moroccan teams, despite securing a straight-set victory against Bahrain. The Qatari team's participation in this tournament follows their recent competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Younousse and Tijan finished fourth. The duo had previously earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.