Doha: Qatar’s U-23 national team edged past India 2-1 in the second round of Group H matches in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, held at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. Al Hashmi Al Hussain opened the scoring for Qatar in the 18th minute, with Jassem Al Sharshani adding a second in the 66th. India’s lone goal came from Mohammad Suhail in the 52nd minute.
According to Qatar News Agency, the win marks Qatar’s second consecutive victory, bringing their tally to six points and solidifying their lead in the group. India remains on three points. In the same group, Bahrain earned its first three points with a commanding 10-0 win over Brunei at Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium.
Qatar had previously defeated Brunei 13-0 in its opening match of the qualifiers. The final round of Group H matches will take place on Tuesday, with Qatar facing Bahrain and India taking on Brunei.
Saudi Arabia is set to host the seventh edition of the tournament for the first time, scheduled from Jan. 7 to 25, 2026. A total of 44 teams are compet
ing in the qualifiers, divided into 11 groups. The top team from each group, along with the four best second-place finishers, will advance to the finals. Host nation Saudi Arabia qualifies automatically.