Accordingly, the second semi-final match between Qatar and Iran will be held at Al Thumama Stadium. However, Qatar unexpectedly sent a request to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to move the match to Al Bayt Stadium. AFC immediately agreed to this request from Qatar but they also set a condition that Qatar must convince the Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI).
According to Winwin , the reason the Qatar team wants to move to Al Bayt Stadium is because it has a larger capacity than Al Thumama Stadium (Al Bayt Stadium has 60,000 seats while Al Thumama Stadium only has 40,000 seats). In addition, at the 2023 Asian Cup, the Qatar team played 3 matches at Al Bayt Stadium and won all of them. Most notably, the penalty shootout victory over Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals (3.2). Therefore, the Qatar team believes that this place brings a lot of luck, helping the Qatar team to be present in the final match.
On February 5, the Qatar team sent a request to FFIRI. However, just 30 minutes later, FFIRI flatly refused. Journalist Daoud Ekdari wrote on the Iranian News Agency : “Officials at FFIRI have rejected the Qatar team’s request to change the stadium for the semi-final match. The Qatar team has played three matches at Al Bayt Stadium while Iran has not played any matches. FFIRI hopes that the teams will always adhere to the pre-determined arrangements if there are no incidents.”
Al Bayt Stadium is where the Qatar team played 3 matches and won all of them.
Iran team rejected Qatar's offer
Faced with this news, goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham - who played excellently in the quarter-final match against Uzbekistan with 3 penalty saves - expressed confidence. He affirmed that no matter where the Qatar team plays, they will give their all.
Meshaal Barsham shared: “In front of nearly 60,000 spectators at Al Bayt Stadium, my teammates had a great performance. We send our sincere thanks to the Qatari fans but even though we did not play here in the semi-finals, the Qatar team is determined to win.
The Qatar team operates like a family. The spirit of love and sharing is always maintained by the players and the coaching staff. In addition, the fans also bring great motivation to the team. These things help us become close and have good results at the 2023 Asian Cup."
Meshaal Barsham not worried despite not playing at Al Bayt
When asked about the strength of the Iranian team, Meshaal Barsham was also optimistic: "The Iranian team is one of the strongest teams in Asia. Their attacks are diverse, modern and scientific. The excellent performance helped Iran defeat the championship candidate Japan. Therefore, the whole team's anxiety is very great.
However, I am proud of what my teammates and I have achieved so far. Everyone has maintained their confidence after the quarter-final match. I myself have also performed well and I am ready to face any striker from the Iranian team. More than ever, the Qatar team hopes to once again step up to the podium and lift the Asian Cup trophy."
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