Wikipedia

2023 WAFF U-23 Championship

The 2023 WAFF U-23 Championship was the fourth edition of the WAFF U-23 Championship, the international age-restricted football championship organized by the West Asian Football Federation for the men's under-23 national teams of West Asia. Nine teams competed in the tournament, with one team being invited.[1]

2023 WAFF U-23 Championship
بطولة غرب آسيا لكرة القدم تحت 23 عاما
Tournament details
Host countryIraq
CityBaghdad and Karbala
Dates12–20 June
Teams9 (from 1 confederation) (from 2 sub-confederations)
Venue(s)2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Iraq (1st title)
Runners-up Iran
Tournament statistics
Matches played12
Goals scored27 (2.25 per match)
Top scorer(s)Iraq Hussein Abdullah
(3 goals)
Best player(s)Iraq Muntadher Mohammed
Best goalkeeperIraq Kumel Al-Rekabe
← 2022
2024 →

Saudi Arabia, the defending champions, did not take part in the tournament. Iraq won their first title after defeating Iran 5–4 on penalties (1–1 after extra time) in the final.[2]

Teams edit

Nine teams took part in the competition.[3]

Team Appearance Previous best performance
  Iran 2nd Winners (2015)
  Iraq 2nd Semi-finals (2021)
  Jordan 3rd Winners (2021)
  Lebanon 3rd Group stage (2021, 2022)
  Oman 4th Fourth place (2022)
  Palestine 3rd Group stage (2015, 2021)
  Syria 4th Runners-up (2015)
  United Arab Emirates 3rd Group stage (2015, 2021)
  Yemen 3rd Fourth place (2015)

Draw edit

The draw for the group stage took place on Thursday 25 May 2023 in Muscat, Oman at 15:00 UTC+3.[4]

Group A
Pos Team
A1   Iraq
A2   United Arab Emirates
A3   Jordan
Group B
Pos Team
B1   Palestine
B2   Iran
B3   Syria
Group C
Pos Team
C1   Lebanon
C2   Yemen
C3   Oman

Squads edit

Main article: 2023 WAFF U-23 Championship squads

Each team had to register a squad of 25 players, three of whom must be goalkeepers.

Match officials edit

The following referees and assistant referees were appointed for the tournament.

Venues edit

  Baghdad   Karbala
Al-Madina Stadium Karbala Stadium
Capacity: 30,000 Capacity: 30,000

Group stage edit

Group A edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Iraq (H) 2 1 1 0 5 2 +3 4 Knockout stage
2   Jordan 2 1 1 0 4 3 +1 4
3   United Arab Emirates 2 0 0 2 1 5 −4 0
Source: GSA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Jordan  2–2  Iraq
 Report
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Faisal Al-Blwi (Saudi Arabia)
United Arab Emirates  1–2  Jordan
 Report
Attendance: 500
Referee: Ali Al Ashkar (Lebanon)
Iraq  3–0  United Arab Emirates
 Report
Attendance: 25,931
Referee: Yahya Al Balushi (Oman)

Group B edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Iran 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 4 Knockout stage
2   Palestine 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4
3   Syria 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0
Updated to match(es) played on 14 June 2023. Source: GSA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
Syria  0–1  Palestine
Report
Referee: Ahmad Yacoub Ibrahim (Jordan)
Iran  3–1  Syria
 Report
Referee: Ahmed Kadhim Gatea (Iraq)
Palestine  1–1  Iran
 Report
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Feras Yousef (Yemen)

Group C edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Oman 2 2 0 0 4 0 +4 6 Knockout stage
2   Yemen 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 3
3   Lebanon 2 0 0 2 1 3 −2 0
Source: GSA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
Oman  1–0  Lebanon
Al-Abdulsalam   42' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Sultan Al Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)
Yemen  0–3  Oman
Report
Attendance: 500
Referee: Feras Taweel (Syria)
Lebanon  1–2  Yemen
Sadek   53' Report
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Baraa Aisha (Palestine)

Ranking of Runners-ups edit

The best-placed runner-up will qualify for the knockout stage.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Jordan 2 1 1 0 4 3 +1 4 Knockout stage
2   Palestine 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4
3   Yemen 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 3
First match(es) will be played: 12 June 2023. Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers

Knockout stage edit

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
18 June – Baghdad
 
 
  Iran 0 (4)
 
20 June – Baghdad
 
  Jordan 0 (3)
 
  Iran1 (4)
 
18 June – Baghdad
 
   Iraq 1 (5)
 
  Iraq1
 
 
  Oman 0
 

Semi-finals edit

Iran  0–0  Jordan
Report
Penalties
Y. Salmani  
Hazbavi  
A. Bavieh  
M. Ghorbani  
Hashemnejad  		 4–3   Al-Diabat
  Abualnadi
  Jamous
 Al-Shanaineh
  Abu Taha
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Husain Al Showaikh (Bahrain)
Iraq  1–0  Oman
Al-Rawahi   52' (o.g.) Report
Attendance: 29,566
Referee: Faisal Al-Blwi (Saudi Arabia)

Final edit

Iran  1–1  Iraq
Goudarzi   31' Report Abdullah   45+3'
Penalties
Y. Salmani  
Fallah  
Irankhah  
M. Ghorbani  
Hashemnejad  		 4–5   K. Mohammed
  Tahseen
  Abdullah
  M. Mohammed
  Maknzi
Attendance: 32,000
Referee: Sultan Al Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)

Winners edit

 2023 WAFF U-23 Championship champion 
 
Iraq
First title

Awards edit

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:[5]

Awards edit

Player of the Tournament

  Muntadher Mohammed

Golden Boot

  Hussein Abdullah (3 goals)

Golden Glove

  Kumel Al-Rekabe

Final standing edit

Goalscorers edit

There have been 27 goals scored in 12 matches, for an average of 2.25 goals per match.

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Broadcasting rights edit

The following channels have been given broadcasting rights to broadcast the tournament.

Territory Rights holder(s)
Iraq Al Iraqiya

Alrabiaa Network Television

United Arab Emirates AD Sports

Dubai Sports

Jordan Jordan Sports TV
Yemen Al-Saeeda

References edit

  1. ^ "إيران تشارك في بطولة غرب آسيا تحت 23 عاماً بالعراق".
  2. ^ ""أسود الرافدين" يفرض تألقه ويحقق أول ألقابه في بطولة تحت ٢٣ عاماً".
  3. ^ "قرعة النسخة الرابعة من بطولة تحت ٢٣ عاماً تسحب.. الإثنين".
  4. ^ "قرعة بطولة تحت ٢٣ عاماً تكشف معالم المجموعات الثلاث".
  5. ^ "هيمنة عراقية على جوائز بطولة غرب آسيا". kooora.com.
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