06 Jun 2015
Hamilton, 6 June 2015. A second-half fightback saw Senegal see off Qatar 2-1 in the final game of Group C at the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup on Saturday.
Aspire Academy student-athlete Akram Afif (17') opened the scoring for Felix Sanchez's side, but the West Africans came back stronger after the break with stand-in captain Alassane Sylla (76') and Moussa Kone (81') earning them a lifeline. The result ultimately meant Qatar has to go home, nonetheless the tournament was a great experience for the young Qatari players and another important step in their development.
“The players really tried hard, but it was a strong group with really tough sides. I think we had good moments and good phases in all the three games and we will use this experience to move forward,” Qatar coach Felix Sanchez summed up Qatar’s performances in New Zealand. “This event has shown us where we currently stand and to what extent we are able to compete with the top sides. We will analyze everything, keep working hard and try to keep improving in order to get better results at future events.”