Iraq U20 coach Salah sets qualification for Asian Cup finals as main goal

CHONBURI, Thailand — Iraq U20 head coach Ahmed Salah said his team is ready for the Asian Cup qualifiers, with reaching the tournament finals set as the primary objective. Speaking at a press conference in Chonburi, Thailand, Salah noted that all national teams in Group Six are contenders and that the sides are closely matched in quality. He said the squad has held a training camp in preparation for the continental matches and that the players are eager to perform at their best and meet the target. A coordination meeting for the Group Six qualifiers was held earlier in Chonburi with Iraq U20 team manager Nadhim Karim in attendance. The meeting set jersey colors for the matches: Iraq will wear all white against Turkmenistan in its opening game, all green against the United Arab Emirates in the second, and all white against host Thailand in the final group match. The other teams in Group Six are Turkmenistan, the UAE and Thailand, with matches set to begin on Wednesday.