BANGKOK, Thailand: Coach Felix Sanchez on Wednesday said his team is 'well prepared' for the match against Syria on Thursday. Qatar take on Syria in their opening AFC U-23 Asian Cup tournament. Qatar are one of the sides competing to win a ticket to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Qatar arrived in Bangkok at the end of December after playing a couple friendlies in Doha. 'We aspire to win our first match against Syria," Sanchez said on Wednesday. "Our group is the hardest in the championship and victory against Syria will put us on the right path," Sanchez added. "We have prepared well for this tournament and we hope to maintain our good record in this tournament after we reached the last four in the past two edition," Sanchez said at a press conference attended by coaches of other teams. "This Syrian team is a respectable team characterized by high effort and strong physical strength. We are aware of the challenges ahead," Sanchez added. Qatar take on Saudi Arabia on Jan 12 followed by a match against Asian powerhouse Japan on Jan 15. The 16-team event ends on Jan 26.