2022 WAFF U-23 Championship

The 2022 WAFF U-23 Championship was the third edition of the WAFF U-23 Championship the biennial international age-restricted football championship organized by the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) for the men's under-23 national teams of West Asia. A total of six teams competed in the tournament.

2022 WAFF U-23 Championship
بطولة غرب آسيا لكرة القدم تحت 23 عاما
Tournament details
Host countrySaudi Arabia
CityJeddah
Dates3–15 November
Teams6 (from 1 confederation) (from 1 sub-confederation)
Venue(s)3 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Saudi Arabia (1st title)
Runners-up Qatar
Third place Syria
Fourth place Oman
Tournament statistics
Matches played11
Goals scored26 (2.36 per match)
Top scorer(s)Oman Al Faraj Al Kiyumi
Oman Nasser Al Rawahi
Saudi Arabia Ahmed Al-Ghamdi
Saudi Arabia Ziyad Al-Johani
Saudi Arabia Mohammed Maran
Syria Mohamad Rihanieh
(2 goals each)
Best player(s)Saudi Arabia Ahmed Al-Ghamdi[1]
Best goalkeeperSyria Waseem Ayoub[1]

The tournament was originally going to be held in Iraq from 3 to 18 November 2022,[2] but was relocated to Saudi Arabia due to the 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis.[3] Jordan, the defending champions, did not take part in the tournament. Saudi Arabia won their first title after defeating Qatar 3–1 in the final.[4]

Host selection

Originally, it was determined that Iraq would host the tournament, as a preparatory competition ahead of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.[5] However, due to the 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis, the hosting rights were lifted based on the recommendation issued in this regard by the General Assembly and the Executive Committee of the WAFF during its two recent meetings that were held in the Jordanian capital Amman. On 23 September 2022, the WAFF announced that Saudi Arabia would host the tournament. [6] Iraq would host the next edition instead.[6]

Teams

Nine teams initially confirmed their participation.[7] On 13 October, both Iraq and Yemen withdrew from the competition.[8] On 20 October, it was announced that Kuwait withdrew from the competition, bringing the final number of teams to six.[9]

Team Appearance Previous best performance
 Bahrain3rdGroup stage (2015, 2021)
 Lebanon2ndGroup stage (2021)
 Oman3rdGroup stage (2015, 2021)
 Qatar2ndThird place (2015)
 Saudi Arabia3rdRunners-up (2021)
 Syria3rdRunners-up (2015)

Draw

The draw was held on 20 October 2022.[9]

Squads
Main article: 2022 WAFF U-23 Championship squads

Each team had to register a squad of 23 players, three of whom must be goalkeepers.

Match officials

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

Venues
Jeddah
Jeddah Jeddah
Sports Hall at King Abdullah Sports City Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium King Abdullah Sports City
Capacity: 1,000 Capacity: 27,000 Capacity: 62,345

Group stage

Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Qatar 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 4 Advance to knockout stage
2  Oman 2 1 0 1 4 3 +1 3
3  Lebanon 2 0 1 1 2 4 −2 1
Source: WAFF
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Qatar 0–0 Lebanon
Report
Attendance: 500
Referee: Mohamed Bunafoor (Bahrain)
Lebanon 2–4 Oman
Sadek 72'
Saad 73'		 Report Al Kiyumi 10'
Al Abdulsalam 20'
Al Rawahi 40', 61'
Referee: Sami Al-Jires (Saudi Arabia)
Oman 0–1 Qatar
Report Tombari 4'
Attendance: 100
Referee: Wissam Rabie (Syria)

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Saudi Arabia (H) 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 3 Advance to knockout stage
2  Syria 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3
3  Bahrain 2 1 0 1 2 3 −1 3
Updated to match(es) played on 6 November 2022. Source: WAFF
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Bahrain 2–1 Syria
Abdulkarim 32'
Al-Romaihi 90+3'		 Report Rihanieh 90+2'
Attendance: 750
Referee: Ali Al Ashkar (Lebanon)
Syria 2–1 Saudi Arabia
Al Aswad 25'
Rihanieh 44'		 Report Al-Johani 59'
Attendance: 900
Referee: Mohammed Al-Shammari (Qatar)
Saudi Arabia 2–0 Bahrain
A. Al-Ghamdi 30'
Al-Johani 57'		 Report
Attendance: 157
Referee: Mohammed Al Noori (Syria)

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, extra time and penalty shoot-out were be used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Articles 10.1 and 10.3).

Bracket
 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
12 November – Jeddah (Al Faisal)
 
 
 Qatar (p)1 (6)
 
15 November – Jeddah (Al Jawhara)
 
 Syria1 (5)
 
 Qatar1
 
12 November – Jeddah (Al Faisal)
 
 Saudi Arabia3
 
 Saudi Arabia2
 
 
 Oman 1
 
Third place match
 
 
15 November – Jeddah (Al Jawhara)
 
 
 Syria1
 
 
 Oman0

Semi-finals
Qatar 1–1 Syria
Qadeera 55' Report Bawadekji 53'
Penalties
  • Al-Tairi soccer ball with red X
  • Tabasideh soccer ball with check mark
  • Azadi soccer ball with check mark
  • Madjer soccer ball with check mark
  • Taha soccer ball with check mark
  • Al-Yazidi soccer ball with check mark
  • Al-Jassem soccer ball with check mark
 6–5
Attendance: 1,231
Referee: Mohamed Bunafoor (Bahrain)
Saudi Arabia 2–1 Oman
Maran 35', 53' Report Al Kiyumi 25'
Attendance: 100
Referee: Osama Ahmad (Jordan)

Fifth place play-off
Lebanon 0–1 Bahrain
Report Abdul Qayoom 81'
Attendance: 120
Referee: Mohammed Al Noori (Syria)

Third place play-off
Syria 1–0 Oman
Al Hejjeh 50' Report
Attendance: 1,227
Referee: Mohammed Al-Shammari (Qatar)

Final
Qatar 1–3 Saudi Arabia
Taha 49' (pen.) Report A. Al-Ghamdi 9'
Al-Nasser 18'
Al-Juwayr 67'
Attendance: 4,734
Referee: Wissam Rabie (Syria)

Winners
 2022 WAFF U-23 Championship champion 

Saudi Arabia
First title

Awards

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:

Awards
Player of the Tournament
Golden Glove
  • Syria Waseem Ayoub

Goalscorers

There have been 26 goals scored in 11 matches, for an average of 2.36 goals per match.

2 goals

1 goal

References
  1. ""الأخضر" السعودي يتوج بلقب النسخة الثالثة من بطولة تحت ٢٣ عاماً".
  2. "بطولتا الناشئين التاسعة وتحت ٢٣ الثالثة في الأردن والعراق" (in Arabic). the-waff.com. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  3. "السعودية تستضيف النسخة الثالثة من بطولة تحت ٢٣ عاماً".
  4. "الأولمبي السعودي يتوج ببطولة غرب آسيا".
  5. "New competition dates approved by AFC Competitions Committee". AFC. 11 November 2020.
  6. "السعودية تحتضن بطولة غرب آسيا تحت 23 عامًا". كووورة. September 22, 2022.
  7. "٩ منتخبات تؤكد مشاركتها ببطولة تحت ٢٣ عاماً الثالثة" (in Arabic). WAFF. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  8. "الاتحادان اليمني والعراقي يعتذران عن عدم المشاركة ببطولة تحت ٢٣ عاماً الثالثة".
  9. "سحب قرعة بطولة اتحاد غرب آسيا الثالثة تحت ٢٣ عاماً".
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