Indian U23 contingent receive warm welcome in Qatar

Doha [Qatar], July 16 (ANI): "We'll try to be the perfect 12th man from the stands", (QIA) Qatar Indian Association For Football have already blocked the dates as the Indian U-23 team reached Doha to ply their trade in the forthcoming AFC U23 Championship Qualifiers. The passionate group of Indian football fans arranged for a warm welcome for the Stephen Constantine-coached team, which was nothing but 'appreciated' by the British coach. "It's great to see Indians supporting the team and we appreciate it", Constantine said to www.the-aiff.com referring to the enthusiasm shown by the members of Qatar Indian Association for Football. Safeer, an integral member of the QIA, sounded elated welcoming the youngsters at the Hamad International Airport as they arrived from Singapore. "It's our duty to back our team when they are coming to play in Qatar. The onus is on us to make them feel at home so that they can get the extra motivation," he said. Constantine also felt that this sort of support "surely adds to the feeling of wanting to do your best." The Qatar-based Indian Football Fanatics are relentlessly working to making more people aware of the AFC U23 Championship Qualifiers so that more Indians come out in numbers in support of the Indian boys. Incidentally, Indians rake up to almost 27 percent of Qatar's entire population. India are slated to face Syria in their first match of the qualifiers at the Al-Sadd Stadium in Doha on July 19. (ANI)