(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Qatar's coach Felix Sanchez Bas has called on his players to give their all one-last time ahead of today's AFC U-19 Championship final against three-time winners DPR Korea. But coach An Ye-Gun has vowed that he and his Korean players would secure victory for "the people in our country".
Following Monday's grueling 3-2 victory over hosts Myanmar that required 120 minutes of play to separate the sides, the West Asians are now set to come full circle as they take on their opening-day opponents in the tournament's climax when they return to Thuwunna Youth Training Centre Stadium.
Qatar's undefeated run to the final began with a 3-1 comeback victory over DPR Korea in the first Group D match. Their unbeaten sequence continued with a draw with Iraq and a victory over Oman to top the group, before a rollercoaster 4-2 win against China in the quarter-finals.
"Qatar has never won the AFC U-19 Championship and this is the only chance these players will have before they move to more senior teams," said Sanchez Bas, who has led his side to their first-ever final at the AFC U-19 Championship.
"They have displayed amazing efforts through diverse scenarios and we will make this one final effort to win the championship. The players have great spirit so I'm sure we will give 100 per cent and give our maximum to win the cup," the Qatari coach said.
Since their opening-day defeat, the Koreans, too, have been in good form and have not lost, finishing runner-up in Group D before a quarter-final win on penalties over Japan and a hugely impressive 5-0 drubbing of Uzbekistan on Monday.
And Sanchez Bas has no doubt that his players will be in for a tough test when they take on the East Asian powerhouse.
"Game after game DPR Korea have grown as a team and picked up some great results since we first played them. The first game was very tough, they were very organised and it was a close game," he said.
"It was clear they had good quality and since they have gone on to beat the big teams during this competition which is why they are here in the final.
"We expect a very hard game but we will do our best to get a good result."
The Spaniard will be boosted by the return of Assim Madibo after the midfielder missed the semi-final through suspension, but even with this welcome addition to their ranks Qatar captain Ahmad Moein is sure he and his team-mates face a significant challenge today.
"Even though we beat them once before, that was a different match and I'm expecting a much harder game tomorrow," said the 19-year-old midfielder.
"They are a very good team with good qualities and good players. Not only strong as individuals but also as team, just like us. I am very proud to be with the team in the final, the first time for a Qatar team. I hope me and my team can show a good game € we are ready to play."
The DPR Korea coach said both teams know each other's strengths and weaknesses.
"Both teams know each other very well, having faced each other before in this tournament. We know each other's pros and cons," said Ye-Gun.
"Qatar have very good individual players who have a high level of skill, they go forward well and when they lose the ball they press hard to win the ball back - we'll have to prepare for that.
"While being the champion of this tournament is important for the coaches and players, it is more so for the people in our country who are waiting for this team to be crowned champion."
In the lead-up to the semi-finals, DPR Korea had followed a defensive system that emphasised conservative play and swift counter-attacks as their main attacking outlet. However, against Uzbekistan, the Koreans removed the shackles and showed devastating offensive power.
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