Kuala Lumpur, November 20 (QNA) – Kyrgyz team will target extended run when they take part in AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 scheduled to be held from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10, 2024.
Kyrgyz Republic will be appearing in just their second AFC Asian Cup but head coach Stefan Tarkovic wants them to emulate, if not better, their 2019 achievement, the AFC said in a report on its website today.
The Central Asian side advanced to the Round of 16 four years ago and Tarkovic said being drawn in a tough Group F wouldn’t deter his team from targeting a place in the Qatar 2023 knockout stage.
Kyrgyz Republic punched above their weight in the 2019 edition as they advanced to the Round of 16 despite being drawn in a group which included Korea Republic and China PR.
Despite losing to both teams, the Central Asian side refused to give up and a spectacular performance against the Philippines in their final group match saw them walking away with a 3-1 win, which was enough to secure them a place in the knockout stage.
Their adventure was ended by the United Arab Emirates, but only after a valiant performance with the hosts needing extra time to advance 3-2. (QNA)