Iraq U23 underestimated the results at Doha Cup 2023
Iraq only practiced three sessions before fighting Vietnam. The team gathered at Baghdad airport and then flew directly to Doha, Qatar on Sunday, March 19. Coach Rani Shenaishil said he proposed to focus earlier, but failed, because the Iraqi national championship was suspended until Saturday, March 18.
Mr. Shenaishil affirmed that the goal in the friendly tournament is to test the technical level of players through quality friendly matches with Vietnam and Korea. "We don't care about the result after the game, despite the criticism," the Iraq U23 head coach told Al-Wada newspaper on March 19.
Doha Cup 2023 is a rehearsal for the teams towards the West Asian U23 Championship in June, then the 2024 Asian U23 qualifier and ASIAD 19. Iraq's ambition is to be in the 2024 AFC U23 Championship, then in to the semi-finals to win tickets to the Paris Olympics that same year.
Muslim countries such as Qatar and Iraq are entering the fasting month of Ramadan from March 22 to April 21. Iraq U23 members can only eat when the sun goes down. Therefore, coach Rani Shenaishil is using a special training and nutrition plan to help students be physically fit to compete.
U23 Iraq went to Doha with 25 players born between 2001 and 2005, of which seven played abroad. The team could not summon Zidane Iqbal - the star midfielder playing for Man Utd. However, the list still has some outstanding names such as striker Ali Hayder of Stoke City U18 (England), defender Mustafa Saleh of U21 Atalanta (Italy) or Josef Al-Imam - a player who plays regularly for BK Olympic at the Norwegian Championship.
Iraq U23 will play U23 Vietnam at 2:45 am on March 23 at Al Gharafa Stadium, then meet U23 Korea at dawn on March 26.
- Goalkeepers (3): Mohammed Hasan (Al-Talaba), Ridha Abdulaziz (Al-Diwaniya), Hani Haidar (U19 Trelleborgs FF),
Defenders (8): Mustafa Saadoun (Al-Kahrabaa), Karrar Al-Amir Ali (Al-Minaa), Zaid Tahseen (Al-Talaba), Karrar Saad (Al-Karkh), Ahmed Maknzi (Erbil), Hussein Amer (Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya), Mustafa Saleh (U21 Atalanta), Josef Al-Imam (Olympic BK)
Midfielders (7): Ammar Ghalib (Al-Shorta), Muntadher Mohammed, Karrar Mohammed (Al-Naft), Muntadher Abdulameer (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya), Amir Ahmed (Al-Hudood), Zaid Ismael (Newroz) , Manuel Iylia (Twente Youth Team)
Strikers (7): Zidane Abduljabbar (Karbalaa), Nihad Mohammed, Dhulfiqar Younis (Al-Karkh), Hussein Abdullah (Al-Talaba), Ali Almosawe (Boldklubben af 1893), Marko Farji (Stromsgodset), Ali Hayder (U18) Stoke City).
