(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Two years ago, the Qataris started brightly, before losing out to South Korea in the semis and then suffering an agonising defeat against Iraq in the play-off for third place
Qatar ace Akram Afif believes his side's bitter disappointment at the 2016 AFC U23 Championship will only serve to make them an even greater force to be reckoned with when the tournament's latest edition gets underway in China today.
As hosts, the Qataris started the competition brightly two years ago, before losing out to Korea Republic in the semi-finals and then suffering an agonising extra-time defeat against Iraq in the play-off for third place.
Some 24 months later, Afif and his teammates have arrived in China eager to write a new and successful chapter in the rich history of Qatari football, starting with their opening day Group A clash against Uzbekistan.
'It is true that the last AFC U23 Championship in Qatar was a disappointing one for us, the 21-year-old midfielder told the-AFC.com.
'Nevertheless, this time around we have almost the same squad as the one we had in 2016, and we hope that we have learned from our experiences in the last competition.
'There is no doubt that we are now looking to achieve something here in China.
With host nation China and regional rivals Oman also standing between them and a place in the knockout phase, Qatar will begin their quest for silverware as one of the competition favourites.
However, although happy to be mentioned among those being tipped for success, Afif - who now plies his trade in Belgium with Eupen - is adamant that the West Asians are not about to take anything for granted.
'Ahead of the tournament, myself and the team have noticed that there is a very good atmosphere here in China, he explained.
'Of course, as a team we want to be among the favourites to win this competition.
'But we know that we must take it step by step towards the final.
Having tasted success at the AFC U-19 Championship in 2014, and with spells at Spanish sides Villarreal and Sporting Gijon also under his belt, Afif already has a wealth of experience at the top level despite his tender years.
He is not about to rest on his laurels though, and insists that the AFC U23 Championship in China will provide an ideal opportunity to hone his skills even further.
'To be in such a tournament and to be able to compete against different countries with different playing styles is a definite plus for me and the rest of the side, Afif said.
'It will give us more experience and help us become better players. We are looking forward to it.
Qatar coach Felix Sanchez also added that Qatar's experience will stand the team in good stead.
'We expect the team to perform well at this competition, indeed there are some 10 players who played in Doha two years ago, he explained.
'Those players have, of course, gained more experience in the time that has passed since and we hope that can make a difference and make this competition a more successful one for us.
ahead of today's match against Uzbekistan.
MENAFN0801201800670000ID1096325334
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.