Qatar and Lebanon are set to kick off the AFC Asian Cup 2023 festivities when they face each other on Friday evening at the Lusail Stadium, in what promises to be an enthralling opening match for the continent's premier football tournament.
As the host nation, Qatar enters the fray backed by home advantage and the support of over 80,000 spectators at Lusail Stadium, the very venue that played host to the gripping final of the last FIFA World Cup 2022, featuring the national teams of Argentina and France.
With aspirations of a strong start, the "Maroons" are determined to defend their Asian title, which they clinched four years ago in the UAE 2019. A victory would bolster their chances of taking an early lead in Group A, which also includes the national teams of Tajikistan and China.
The Spanish coach of Qatar, Félix Sánchez Bas, has emphasized to his players the importance of starting strongly in any tournament, reminding them to avoid a repeat of their opening loss to Ecuador in the 2022 World Cup, which contributed to their early exit from the first round.
Within the ranks of the Qatari national team are several standout players, including 33-year-old team captain Hasan Al-Haydos, who brings a wealth of experience with 176 international caps. Qatar also counts on other key figures, such as 2019 Asian Footballer of the Year Akram Afif, who has netted 26 goals in 96 international appearances, trailing only Al-Haydos with 39 goals.
Additionally, Qatar's Almoez Ali, the striker for Al-Duhail and top scorer of the previous edition with nine goals, leads the scoring front. He has tallied 50 international goals in 96 appearances for the national team.
The Qataris also retain several players from their champion squad of 2019, like goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb and midfielder Boualem Khoukhi, as well as the strong right-back Pedro Miguel who has made 90 international appearances.
The opening match of the AFC Asian Cup will mark Qatar's 40th in the tournament’s history, with a record of 13 wins, 11 draws, and 15 defeats from 39 matches so far. The Qatari players have scored 52 goals and conceded 47 in those matches.
Qatar's match against Lebanon revives memories from the opening game of their journey in Group E during the last tournament in 2019, where the Maroons triumphed with two goals by Bassam Al-Rawi and Almoez Ali.
Qatari midfielder Abdulaziz Hatem acknowledges the challenge ahead, stating that being the reigning champions increases the difficulty of each match. Yet, he affirms that their goal remains clear: to retain the title and win it for a second consecutive time.
On the other side, Montenegrin coach Miodrag Radulović hopes for Lebanon's side to spring a surprise in the opener against the defending champions and break past the barrier of the first round which the Lebanese team failed to do in their previous two participations — when they hosted the event in 2000 and in the last tournament held in the UAE in 2019.
The Lebanese team, also known as "the Cedars", has played six Asian Cup matches, managing only one win, two draws, and three losses, scoring seven goals and conceding twelve.
Goalkeeper Mostafa Matar, veteran striker Hassan Maatouk — Lebanon's current top scorer with 23 goals in 116 international appearances — along with fellow forwards Soony Saad, Hilal El-Helwe, and midfielder Mohamad Haidar are among Radulović’s key assets. In light of recent preparations, Radulović had to adjust his squad, calling up defender Khalil Khamis from Al Ahed to replace Felix Melki following the latter’s training injury before a friendly against the Saudi Arabian team.
As Qatar and Lebanon ready themselves for the spectacle at Lusail, the eyes of Asia turn to witness the beginning of a tournament steeped in the spirit of competition and the desire to claim the coveted Asian Cup.
