Shenzhen, China: Qatar’s U20 national team suffered a 1-3 defeat against Australia in their second group-stage match of the AFC U20 Asian Cup, currently underway in Shenzhen, China. The clash, held at the Youth Training Center Stadium, began at 12:15 PM Doha time. Eager to rebound after a narrow 2-1 loss to China in their opening game, Qatar’s Al-Annabi started aggressively, controlling possession and seizing an early lead. Striker Mohammed Khalid struck in the 19th minute, finishing a slick assist from Tahseen Mohammed to ignite hopes of a turnaround. Australia, however, clawed back to level the score before halftime. The second half saw the Socceroos surge ahead, adding two more goals to secure consecutive victories in the tournament. Qatar will now regroup for their final Group Stage encounter against Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, February 18, aiming to conclude their campaign with a strong performance. The 42nd edition of the AFC U20 Asian Cup, running from February 12 to March 1, offers Asia’s top four teams a direct ticket to the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.