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The 11th International Under-23 Friendly Tournament will be held at the Grand Hamad Stadium (Al Arabi Sports )Club from March 21 to 25. |
Qatar will meet Turkey, while Morocco will take on Iran on the opening day of the event which is being organised by Qatar Football Association (QFA). The tournament is approved by international football Federation (FIFA) and will follow a round-robin schedule in which all the four teams will play each other.
Qatar coached by Dutchman Marcel van Berne is all set for the the tournament.
“Though we have very little time for the preparations as some of the players were busy in other tournaments, but I am not taking it as an excuse. The squad is undergoing physical fitness tests and training drills in two sessions daily and I am confident of a good show in the event,” Marcel van Berne said, while talking to media yesterday.
“Some of our players will be playing an international event for the first time and it will be a learning experience for them,” he added.
“It will be a good learning experience for the team as we will take on some good international teams in the tournament. I am looking forward to the event,” Qatar captain Hamad al-Obeidi said.
Turkey coach Gokhan Keskin also sounded positive on the eve of their opening match.
“It is a great chance for my boys to prove themselves against the some good teams in the tournament. We are going to play against Qatar, the hosts, in the first match and it is always tough to take on home team early in the tournament, but I am confident of a good performance by my boys in the tournament,” Keskin said.
German-born Turkish forward Cenk Tosun said, “We are a good team and hoping for fantastic outing here. We will give our best to win the
tournament.”
Tosun left Frankfurt in January 2011 and was a revelation at the Turkish outfit, netting six goals in his first five games. “Our team has very talented players. We have played some good football in the recent past to reach final of a tournament, ”the Gaziantepspor player said.
Commenting on the occasion committee chairman Hamad Saleh al-Mannai said: “The tournament is an excellent opportunity for the under-23 teams to practice and showcase their talent .”
QFA Director of Marketing and Communication QFA Khalid Mubarak al-Kuwari said, “Fans can enter the stadium for free as QFA has decided not to charge fans for the tickets. We are expecting Iranian, Moroccan and Turkish communities to come and support their squads,” he added.
The winning team will get $50,000 as prize money.