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

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September 10, 2024
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10-September-2024

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