#Qatar #FIFA #Bangladesh #Doha #Qatar2022
FIFA World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar will resume their 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2023 and World Cup qualifying campaign behind closed doors against Bangladesh at Al Duhail Stadium on Friday.
It will be the first and only qualifier in the Asian continent to be held in pandemic-hit 2020, with the change in schedule approved by FIFA.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh team underwent Covid-19 Test with the manager and physiotherapist tested positive.
The winners of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup lead the standings with 13 points from their first five games and, with a nine-point lead over third placed Afghanistan and three matches remaining, the Qataris know a solitary point will take them four points clear of second-placed Oman.
Winning the group will assure Qatar their place in China 2023, which they can also achieve by finishing as one of the best four second-placed teams at the end of the second round of the Asian Qualifiers.
Reigning AFC Player of the year Akram Afif and Abdelkarim Hassan are among nine players from Qatar Stars League leaders Al Sadd in the 23-man squad while Almoez Ali, leading scorer at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, is one of six from Al Duhail to feature in the team.