Qatar aim to stay perfect in joint qualifiers
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Qatar may have booked their AFC Asian Cup 2027 berth and advanced in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, head coach Marquez Lopez will lo...
Doha, Qatar: Qatar may have booked their AFC Asian Cup 2027 berth and advanced in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, head coach Marquez Lopez will look to maintain team’s winning run with victories over Afghanistan and India in their upcoming joint qualifiers.
The two-time Asian champions have been in phenomenal form this year as they are on a nine-match winning streak since their defeat to Jordan in a pre-Asian Cup friendly on January 5. Their outstanding form has placed them to 34th in the FIFA rankings – their best-ever position in the world standings. Qatar may rise further in the rankings on June 20 by winning against Afghanistan and India.
Lopez’s men, who are assured of a top place in Group A of the joint qualifiers after registering four straight victories, will play against Afghanistan at Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia on Thursday. A new-look Qatar team is preparing for the game since Thursday with Lopez intensifying national squad’s training at Aspire Academy before they depart to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
The Qatar coach has included several young players in the squad resting the likes of forwards Akram Afif and Almoez Ali, with goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham set to miss action after undergoing a surgery in London last week.
