Doha, August 20 (QNA) - Qatar's U17 volleyball team will face France tomorrow, Friday, in their second match in Pool A of the FIVB Volleyball Boys' U17 World Championship, currently being held in Doha, at the Women's Sports Hall in Aspire Zone.
The Qatar team will look to deliver an improved performance in its second match and make up for its opening-day defeat to Venezuela, while France will enter the encounter with high confidence after defeating Tunisia 3-0 in its opening match.
Qatar U17 team manager Ismail Al Shaib said the match against France would represent a strong test for the team, stressing the importance of learning from its opening match against Venezuela and working to produce a better performance.
"The match against France will not be easy. We are facing a strong team that won its opening match against Tunisia 3-0, but we have confidence in our players and know they are capable of producing a better performance than in the opening match," Al Shaib said.
He added: "The defeat to Venezuela was an important lesson for us, particularly because the team improved significantly in the third set. The players showed strong character and came close to winning it. We want to build on that performance and work to rectify the mistakes that emerged at the beginning of the match."
Al Shaib continued: "We understand the importance of this match in the context of the group standings, and our objective is to maintain our chances of reaching the Round of 16. We will therefore approach the match with full focus and take each set on its own, while seeking to capitalize on our strengths."
The Qatar team manager called on the players to give their all on the court, expressing his hope that the team would produce a performance that reflects the development of volleyball in Qatar.
In the second day of the championship, Brazil defeated Mexico 3-0, while India recorded an identical victory over Cuba.
The second round of matches tomorrow will also see Argentina face Mexico and Iran take on Pakistan.
The FIVB Volleyball Boys' U17 World Championship continues in Doha until August 29, bringing together teams from across the world in strong competition for places in the knockout stages. The 2026 edition features 24 teams, with the top 16 advancing to the Round of 16. (QNA)