AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023/ Qatari Team Coach: We are Determined to Beat Tajikistan to Ensure Qualification for Round of 16

Doha, January 16 (QNA) - The Spanish coach of Qatar football team Marquez Lopez asserted Tuesday that he intends to achieve victory against Tajikistan on Wednesdays' confrontation at Al Bayt Stadium within the second round of AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 to ensure qualification for round of 16 of the championship.
   At a press conference ahead of Tajikistan match, Lopez added that his team are determined to reap three points that will secure qualification for round of 16, after the team have maintained three points so far, but winning tomorrow's match will lead to qualification for the second round of the tournament and securing six points, regardless of the outcome of other confrontations in the group between the Chinese and the Lebanese teams.
   Commenting on the preparations for the clash, Lopez affirmed that the mission will be challenging in front of Tajikistan, as the latter have performed well in China match ending with goalless match, indicating that the contender play good and count on powerful defenders, and their players are deployed at the vanguard because of their high skills something will compel Al Adaam to be well prepared, in terms of tactics and mental preparedness.
   Lopez affirmed that his team have been monitoring Tajikistan team very well from all angles and set the appropriate plan to achieve victory, highlighting that powerful attack and investing in time, as well as early scoring will lead to earning active points and control the match, adding that essential balance of his team is a must to ensure that no spaces are left between footballers on the pitch.
   Regarding Al Adaam and the anticipated clashes with major teams in the transition to maintain the title, Lopez stressed the significance of handling the matches separately without proactive action, as the focus must be put on Wednesday's match to secure the qualification and prepare for the final game against China. 
   He hailed the performance of the Qatari team in the first match against Lebanon which vividly helped the team achieve obvious victory 3-0, but he stressed the importance of upgrading the technical level, since Al Adaam intend to be a strong competitor for the trophy as they did in the past edition held in the United Arab Emirates in 2019. (QNA)