Qatar head coach Felix Sarriugarte chose to see the positives of his team, who he felt showed their quality in the second half against China PR.

“We didn't start really well in the first half against China. We made a couple of mistakes and in the end we were punished,” said Sarriugarte.

“It’s a pity that we couldn’t get back into the game. We played better in the second half and got a goal and need to maintain this kind of mentality in the next game. We came here to compete and the first game is already over. Our focus is on the next two remaining matches, starting with Australia."

Australia flexed their muscles against Kyrgyz Republic with Luka Jovanovic and Musa Toure scoring a brace each while Daniel Benne contributed the fifth.

Trevor Morgan's side, who are seeking to improve on their quarter-final finish in the 2023 edition, will have to be cautious as Qatar will provide a stiffer challenge than Kyrgyz Republic.

"I think Qatar will make very few changes in their line-up. They've got their style of play that they are consistent with and will try get their players to be more impactful," said Morgan.

"We have to make sure that we maintain our way of playing the game that makes it impossible to get the outcome that they want."

Venue: Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Centre Stadium (Shenzhen)

Kick-off: Friday, 15:00 (UTC+8)