Doha: Although he has a challenging assignment ahead of him in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, Marquez Lopez appears to be confident of his team's readiness to defend the title won in 2019. As the Asian Cup gets off, Qatar can relive their incredible run from the 2019 tournament in the UAE, when they went undefeated and defeated four-time champions Japan in the final in Abu Dhabi. Qatar prepared for the AFC Asian Cup under Marquez's management by playing friendly matches against Cambodia and Jordan. Qatar has a perfect record against Lebanon, winning all six games. Their most recent victory was a 2-0 triumph at the 2019 Asian Cup. The hosts have several solid weapons, including captain Hassan Al Haydos and striker Almoez Ali, who leads the country in goal scoring with 50 international goals and was the top scorer at the previous Asian Cup. he has scored eight goals in his last two games, including two hat tricks. Speaking on the eve of the opening clash, Coach Lopez said, "We commenced training in the final week of December, but despite the short duration, I am familiar with the players and their title ambitions. "Leading a team that clinched the 2019 Asian Cup is an honour. When entering a competition, the ultimate goal is to reach the final. My players are well aware of my approach as head coach, and our aim has remained the same since the day I took over this role. The 2019 title gives us an advantage, offering an additional positive to strive for – lifting the trophy once again." "It is a relatively good group where all the teams have very similar levels, and tomorrow we are starting a new challenge for us," Al Haydos said, adding to his statement. From the beginning of the game till the very conclusion, the support of the fans is crucial to our success as players. And I hope we can get as many points as possible to advance to the knockout stage." "I believe that the 2019 Asian Cup elevated our standards and aspirations. No matter the competition, we must always come out on top. But we can deal with the expectations and deliver when it matters". "As defending champions, we are playing the Asian Cup at home; therefore, we must perform well and demonstrate to the fans what we are truly capable of." Qatar, who won the title for the first time in the United Arab Emirates in 2019, will open their defence against Lebanon on January 12 at the Lusail Stadium. They then take on Tajikistan at the Al Bayt Stadium on January 17 before their final group stage match takes place on January 22 against China at the Khalifa International Stadium.