The Peninsula
Marquez Lopez, coach of the Qatari national football team, says that the team main goal is to reach the final match in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023..
Before the opening match against Lebanon, that will take place at the Lusail Stadium on Friday, Lopez stated in a press conference that the Qatari national team is coming to the tournament as the title holders which gives it an important advantage and pushes the team to bring excellent performance in the match in their homeland and among the fans.
He mentioned that the goal of reaching the final should not get the team ahead of itself and focus on the opening match against Lebanon and obtain points that will allow the team to surpass the group stage.
The Spanish coach said that they are aware of the opponent's capabilities and have studied them. He promised that they would bring their best in order to achieve a positive start and for it to be a motivation towards the long and hard journey.
Lopez, who took over the role shortly before the start of the Asian Cup Qatar 2023, said that this leaves him with a great challenge but will not be an excuse since he knows all the players due to his presence in the Qatari football scene for many years, remarkably in Al Wakrah SC.
The team's former coaches focused on defense more than attack and Lopez expressed his preference for offense play, high pressure on the opponent's field, and possession and creating opportunities. He also pointed out the necessity of maintaining balance through defense and the courage to apply required fast changes.
The Qatari national team will meet its Lebanese counterpart Friday evening at Lusail Stadium in the opening of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023.
Qatar is in Group A alongside Lebanon, China and Tajikistan.
Qatar and Lebanon faced each other at the beginning of the competitions of the last edition of the tournament that took place in the United Arab Emirates in 2019 where the Qatari team prevailed with 2-0 and later went on to win the title.