On Monday, Qatar produced a solid performance to secure a 2-0 victory over Indonesia in their opening AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2024 match.
Qatar’s U23 coach, Ilidio Vale, expressed that his squad must continue their winning run after dominating Indonesia in a 2-0 victory at their opening AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2024 match on Monday.
Speaking ahead of their second match against Jordan, Vale urged his side to continue improving on the control of the ball if they want to achieve a winning conquest.
“It was a very difficult match for us, as it’s always difficult to play on home turf because things can get emotional,” said Vale.
“The first half was good, but in the second half, we didn’t totally control the match,” the Portuguese added.
Vale expressed that despite the victory, things are needed for a better win to happen.
“We did well in some aspects, and we didn’t too well in others. We couldn’t do all the things we wanted today, but that happens. Our goal is to improve the team’s performance game by game. We need to correct what we did wrong, particularly in the second half, and continue work on the parts we did well, that is how we have been operating,” Vale added.
At the beginning of the match, the Indonesian squad dealt Qatar’s rising footballers with a formidable offence and thrilling defence. Still, they were cut short from the attacking position.
Indonesia U23 ushered a solid defence throughout the match, but it collapsed after Qatar was gifted a penalty minutes before the halftime whistle.
Qatar’s Khalid Sabah struck the back of the net, giving the hosting Gulf State a lead.
With five minutes of extra time in the first half, Indonesia rushed the attack, hoping to equalize the game.
Falling short of the equalizer, Qatar returned to take advantage of Indonesia’s sloppy offence after the half with an even more promising strategy by coach Elideo Valle.
Priodgy Ahmed-Al Rawi struck a tough shot against Indoensia’s goalkeeper, securing the game with a dominant triumph.
Ensuring a comeback doesn’t cruise from the Indonesia squad, Qatar maintained the game’s tempo until the last minute.
The team would gain three points in their group, which also features Australia and Jordan.