Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: At 18 years of age, Hoshang Noor Ali’s chance at a top-flight football career looked to have passed him by but seven years on, he stands on the verge of making his international debut when Afghanistan’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Asian Qualifiers campaign begins against Qatar on Thursday.
In doing so, Noor Ali will swap the third tier of Canadian football for a meeting with the Asian champions and, as he exclusively told the-AFC.com, his journey from the local league to the world stage is a tale of extraordinary perseverance.
“I had no opportunity anymore, so in my head I said, “Okay, I give up’” and I decided to go study, get a diploma or just go and find myself some work," said the Afghanistan national team’s newest call-up.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/hoshang_noor_ali2-afghanistan.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/hoshang_noor_ali1-afghanistan.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/hoshang_noor_ali-afghanistan-family.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/qatar-celebrate_3.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/afghanistan_-_palestine_-_2018.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Qatar will headline Group E of the Asian Qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 with Bangladesh, Oman, India and Afghanistan determined to challenge the defending AFC Asian Cup champions.
The eight group winners and four best runners-up will advance to the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Finals and the final round of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
However, should Qatar - who have qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup as hosts - win their group, the seven other group winners and five best second-placed sides will advance to the final round of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kabul: Afghanistan have revealed the 23 players tasked with navigating the first steps of their Asian Qualifiers campaign for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023, with head coach Anoush Dastgir drawing on players far and wide for his squad, announced on Tuesday.
With players based from Cyprus to Canada and the Maldives to Melbourne, there are few parts of the globe unrepresented in Dastgir’s side, who will face Qatar in Doha on September 5, before Dushanbe, Tajikistan plays host to a home meeting with Bangladesh five days later.
Afghanistan’s squad members ply their trade in a total of 14 nations, with the Germany-based quartet of Zubayr Amiri, Abassin Alikhil, Hassan Amin and uncapped goalkeeper Hellal Hosseini making it the most common home, ahead of the Afghan Premier League, which provides three players, all from champions Toofan Harirod,
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dhaka: Head coach Jamie Day has called on Bangladesh to draw inspiration from Abahani Dhaka Limited as they prepare to kick off their Asian Qualifiers campaign for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.
Bangladesh are in a challenging Group E with reigning AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar, Oman, India and Afghanistan, who they open their campaign against on September 10, and Day wants the South Asians to rise to the challenge.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Jakarta: Simon McMenemy will look to tap into his experience as a club coach when he leads Indonesia into their opening Asian Qualifiers tie against Malaysia for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 on Thursday, as the two Southeast Asian nations commence their campaign at a pulsating Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
The former Philippines boss – who led Bhayangkara FC to the Indonesia league title in 2018 – will adopt a “one game at a time” approach to life in Group G, which also sees Tim Merah-Putih face off against Thailand, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates in the battle for places in the next round of qualifying for Qatar 2022.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: History will be made in Pyongyang on October 15 when Korea Republic travel to face DPR Korea in their Asian Qualifiers tie for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 as the neighbouring rivals meet on the pitch in a competitive fixture in the northern nation for the first time.
The encounter – the first of two in Group H featuring the Koreans, with the second in Seoul on June 4, 2020 – headlines the second round of qualifying for the two tournaments that has thrown up an array of fascinating clashes that will often see traditional rivals go head-to-head for a berth in the next round of the campaign for places in Qatar and China PR.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: From wily veterans to willing novices, the men charged with leading the 40 nations seeking to advance to the next phase of qualifying for the the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 will be putting the finishing touches to the preparations as the countdown to kick off the second round of the Asian Qualifiers ticks ever louder.
The range in know-how between those taking part is vast, and no one brings more experience to the campaign than Marcello Lippi, the man who led Italy to their fourth world title in 2006 and who is charged with ending China PR’s lengthy FIFA World Cup drought.