Doha: In a thrilling conclusion to their participation at the International Friendly Tournament, Qatar’s U23 national team battled to a 2-2 draw against Australia on Tuesday evening at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Al-Duhail SC. The match, marked by late drama, saw both teams trade blows until the final seconds, with Qatar’s Mohamed Gouda netting a stoppage-time equalizer to salvage a point.   Australia struck first through Matthew Grimaldi in the 7th minute, but Qatar responded with Jassem Al-Shersheni converting a penalty in the 76th minute. The Socceroos thought they had sealed victory when Aiden Simmons scored in the 88th minute, only for Gouda to stun the visitors with a 92nd-minute leveler. Qatar’s goalkeeper Ali Glees was later honored as the tournament’s best goalkeeper, adding a silver lining to the hosts’ campaign.   The result lifted Qatar to 5 points, securing second place in the standings on goal difference, while Australia settled for third with the same tally. Croatia claimed the tournament title with a 3-1 victory over Thailand, finishing atop the table with 6 points. Meanwhile, Egypt surged to fourth place after thrashing the UAE 5-1, overtaking their rivals on goal difference.   Qatar’s journey in the tournament began with a 1-1 draw against Egypt, followed by a 2-1 win over Thailand. The event served as crucial preparation for the upcoming AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers in September 2025, where Qatar aims to secure a spot in the continental championship.