Abu Dhabi: Qatar captain Hassan Al Haydos insists his side are eyeing yet further glory as they prepare for Tuesday’s eagerly anticipated AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 semi-final tussle with the United Arab Emirates.



The Al Sadd midfielder has shone brightly throughout the tournament, one which has seen Qatar scale new heights at the Continent’s premier event thanks to a run of five successive victories.

Despite already going further in the competition than any previous Qatari side had done, Al Haydos is adamant that Felix Sanchez’s charges are still hungry for more.



“Of course, we hope we will qualify for the final, but nothing will be easy,” said the 28-year-old who made his international debut in 2007.

“We have been enjoying the tournament since the first minute, and we are all focused on trying to do our very best for the team.

“Our path so far has been very difficult with many obstacles, but we have progressed, and we are looking to improve even further against the UAE and reach the final.

 


Semi-final - Qatar v UAE: Head Coaches Thoughts

With over 100 caps to his name, Al Haydos has added a healthy dose of footballing knowhow to a Qatar squad which contains a subtle blend of youth and experience.

Now appearing in his third AFC Asian Cup, Al Haydos believes the country’s current generation have formed an impressive team spirit – one that he hopes will serve them well against the UAE.

“I can tell you for sure that I am not worried about myself as what really matters is that the team wins one game after game.

“I think everyone can see the [excellent] atmosphere among the players. Indeed, the 23 players plus all the technical staff are one big family and that is something which reflects positively on the pitch.

“We are confident and have prepared well for the match. We to be exactly where we are now, and we are looking forward to doing even better.”


Source: the-afc.com