Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Qatar Under 16’s mission to follow in the footsteps of their Under 19 counterparts and bring more continental glory to the Gulf emirate began on Wednesday when the AFC U-16 Champions 2016 qualifying Group C hosts defeated Turkmenistan 5-0, while the Turkmen’s Central Asian neighbours Tajikistan lost 3-1 in the later fixture against Iraq.
First-half goals from Ahmed Al Genahi (10th) and Mohammad Bahramen (40th) put Qatar firmly in control of the meeting at the Aspire Dome Indoor Stadium before the group hosts added to their two goal cushion on the hour mark when Hisham Ali scored the first of his double.
Skipper Saleh Saeed made it 4-0 in the 83rd minute with Hisham Ali rounding off a comfortable victory for Qatar four minutes into second-half stoppage time as the Group C hosts ended Match Day 1 at the top of the table, above Iraq on goal difference.
Iraq fell behind to a 39th minute Faridun Nematov goal but the West Asians would go into the break leading 2-1 after two goals right at the end of the first half turned the tide of the match in their favour.
Mohammed Ridha Al Elayawi cancelled out Nematov’s opener in the 45th minute before defender Muntadher Abdulsada gave the Iraqis the advantage when he scored two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the opening period.
An Alaa Adnan Jabbar strike in the 68th minute - which turned out to be the only goal of the second half - put some distance between Iraq and the Tajiks with the Iraqis holding out for the victory that saw them join Qatar as opening day winners.
Ten group winners and four best second-placed teams will join DPR Korea, who topped the already concluded Group H, and India in next year’s finals, with the tournament hosts receiving an automatic qualification.
Should India finish top of their qualifying group or among the four best second-placed teams, the fifth best second-placed nation will qualify for the final competition.